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GENEVA CONVENTION (POLITICAL)
Diplomats from numerous nations meet in the Swiss city of Geneva to draft the Geneva Accords. The Accords contained a roadmap for peace and reunification in Vietnam. Vietnam would be divided at the 17th parallel for a period of two years. Free elections were scheduled for July 1956.
https://alphahistory.com/vietnamwar/geneva-accords-of-1954/ -
HO CHI MINH TRAIL (MILITARY OPERATION)
Group 559, a specialized North Vietnamese Army unit is formed to create a supply route from North Vietnam to Vietcong forces in South Vietnam. A primitive trail is created along the Vietnamese/Cambodian border with offshoots into Vietnam along its entire length. It served as the primary route for moving troops, vehicles, and supplies.
https://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/timeline/index.html
https://nautilus.org/essentially-annihilated/essentially-annihilated-targeting-ho-chi-minh-trail/ -
BATTLE OF AP BAC (MILITARY OPERATION)
The Viet Cong, despite having limited weapons and men, defeated the South Vietnamese forces in the village of Ap Bac.The Viet Cong escaped with minor losses.The South VIetnamese government suffered numerous casualties, three American advisors were killed, and five helicopters were shot down.This loss, was a major defeat and Americans began to question whether the ARVN could win without the military assistance of the U.S.
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1961-63v03/d1 -
PRESIDENT KENNEDY IS ASSASSINATED (HOMEFRONT)
While riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas, President Kennedy is assassinated. Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested for JFK's assassination. Two days later, Oswald was murdered on live tv by Jack Ruby. Kennedy's successor, President Johnson rapidly escalated the war and committed to sending U.S. ground forces to Vietnam. https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/jfk-assassination
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kennedy-announces-intent-to-increase-aid-to-south-vietnam -
GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION (HOMEFRONT)
President Johnson requests an increase of military presence in Indochina in response to two unprovoked attacks by North Vietnamese on U.S. destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin. This authorizes President Johnson to take any measures he believed necessary to retaliate and promote peace and security in Southeast Asia. Legally, this resolution provided the legal basis for U.S. military force.
https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/gulf-of-tonkin-resolution-1 -
LINCOLN MEMORIAL PROTEST (HOMEFRONT)
Approximately 75,000-100,000 protesters gathered near the Lincoln Memorial to protest the war. After the protest approximately 35,000 to 50,000 demonstrators went to the Pentagon where they were meant with military police, federal marshalls, and Army troops. Most were cordoned off but some broke through and entered the Pentagon. Nearly 700 were arrested for acts of civil disobedience.
https://billofrightsinstitute.org/activities/image-analysis-march-on-the-pentagon-october-21-1967 -
TET OFFENSIVE BY NORTH VIETNAM (MILITARY OPERATION)
North Vietnam and the Viet Cong launch a coordinated attack against numerous targets in South Vietnam. The U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries sustain heavy losses. The Tet Offensive played a significant role in weakening U.S. public support for the war in Vietnam.
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/tet -
U.S. DRAFT (HOMEFRONT)
Every man between the age of 18 and 26 were eligible to be drafted. A lottery was held to determine the order of call for induction. The last draft was on December 7, 1972. Public backlash from draft eligible men was a primary reason for why public sentiment turned against the war effort.
https://www.sss.gov/history-and-records/vietnam-lotteries/
https://www.vvmf.org/topics/The-Draft/ -
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY SHOOTINGS (HOMEFRONT)
Members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of Kent State University demonstrators killing four and wounding nine Kent State students. This event triggered a nationwide student strike that forced hundreds of colleges and universities to close. Many believe this event tilted public opinion against the war and may have contributed to the downfall of President Nixon.
https://www.vvmf.org/topics/The-Draft/
https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/kent-state-shooting -
PENTAGON PAPERS (HOMEFRONT)
The Pentagon Papers was the name given to a top-secret Department of Defense study of the military involvement in Vietnam, The study was leaked to the New York Times in June 1971 and it revealed that administrations from Truman through Johnson had willingly deceived the American people about the nation's involvement in Vietnam.
https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/first-domino-nixon-and-the-pentagon-papers -
26th AMENDMENT IS RATIFIED (HOMEFRONT)
As a direct result of the draft, many Americans objected to the fact that young Americans were legally old enough to fight and die, but not allowed to drink alcohol or vote. In response to these objections, the 26th amendment was ratified granting suffrage to 18-year-olds.
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xxvi
https://www.ushistory.org/us/55d.asp#:~:text=Massive%20gatherings%20of%20anti%2Dwar,still%20supported%20the%20Vietnam%20effort. -
CASE-CHURCH AMENDMENT IS PASSED (HOMEFRONT)
Measure passes that prohibits further U.S. military operations in Southeast Asia after 8/15/73 without prior congressional authorization. This set the stage for the War Powers Act (11/1973) which limits the president's ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad. Both measures sought to avoid another lengthy conflict such as the Vietnam War.
https://prospect.org/features/congress-got-us-vietnam/
https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/war-powers-act -
PARIS PEACE ACCORD (POLITICAL)
The U.S., South Vietnam, and North Vietnam formally agree to "Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam". The U.S. agrees to withdraw all troops within 60 days. The North Vietnamese agree to release all U.S. and other prisoners of war and withdraw their troops. North Vietnam agrees to not use force and the 17th parallel will remain a provisional dividing line until peaceful reunification can be achieved.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-peace-accords-signed -
NORTH VIETNAM SEIZES CONTROL OF SOUTH VIETNAM (MILITARY OPERATION)
The North Vietnamese captured Saigon and accepted the surrender of South Vietnam. President Nixon secretly promised South Vietnam that the U.S. would "respond with full force" if North Vietnam violated the Paris Peace Treaty. North Vietnam seized on a "distracted" U.S. amid the resignation of Nixon after the Watergate scandal.
https://www.history.com/news/fall-of-saigon-timeline-vietnam-war