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Dien Bien Phu
Vietnamese forces French command post at Dien Bien Phu and the French commander orders his troops to cease fire. This battle lasted about 55 days. Tons of troops were killed. -
Creation of the Ho Chi Minh trail
Happened sometime in the 1956's. A Group called Group 559 develops a primitive route along the Vietnamese border, with offshoots into Vietnam along its entire length. -
United States becomes actively involved
President John F. Kennedy orders more help for the South Vietnamese government in the war. -
Operation Rangeland
Ranchhand is to clear vegetation alongside highways, making it more difficult for the Vietcong to conceal themselves for ambushes during the war. -
Rolling Thunder Begins
Rolling Thunder begins in April and ends sometime in November in 1965. American air power in Southeast Asia is massively reinforced. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
In gulf of tonkin resolution, South Vietnamese commandos attack two small North Vietnamese islands in the Gulf of Tonkin. -
Gulf of Tonkin Attack
The U.S. congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Johnson the power to take whatever actions he sees necessary to defend southeast Asia -
US offers peace for economic aid proposal
US offers peace for economic aid proposal. The U.S. offers North Vietnam economic aid in exchange for peace, but the offer is summarily rejected. -
First major battle of Vietnam War for American Units
The first major battle of Vietnam War for American Units started in 1965. The United States scores a resounding victory. Ground forces, artillery from Chu Lai, ships and air support combine to kill nearly 700 Vietcong soldiers. U.S. forces sustain 45 dead and more than 200 wounded. -
President Johnson commits over 60,000 troops to Vietnam
The end of 1966, American forces in Vietnam reach 385,000 men, plus an additional 60,000 sailors stationed offshore. More than 6,000 Americans have been killed in this year, and 30,000 have been wounded. -
Operation Junction City
By 1967. The goal of Junction City is to destroy Vietcong bases and the Vietcong military headquarters for South Vietnam. -
Khe Sanh attacked by Vietcong
At 5:30 a.m., a shattering barrage of shells, mortars and rockets slam into the Marine base at Khe Sanh. Eighteen Marines are killed, 40 are wounded. -
Tet Offensive begins
Tet Offensive begin. Vietcong units surge into action over the length and breadth of South Vietnam. In more than 100 cities and towns, shock attacks by Vietcong sapper-commandos are followed by wave after wave of supporting troops. By the end of the city battles, 37,000 Vietcong troops deployed for Tet have been killed. Many more had been wounded or captured. -
My Lai massacre
March 16th 1968, My Lai, U.S. Charlie Company kills about two hundred civilians. Although only one member of the division is tried and found guilty of war crimes, the repercussions of the atrocity is felt throughout the Army. -
Nixon Takes Office
President Richard M. Nixon takes office as the new President of the United States. With regard to Vietnam, he promises to achieve "Peace With Honor. -
Operation Menu
President Nixon authorizes Operation Menu, the bombing of North Vietnamese and Vietcong bases within Cambodia. Over the following four years, U.S. forces will drop more than a half million tons of bombs on Cambodia. -
All but 133,000 US troops have come home
Only 133,000 U.S. servicemen remain in South Vietnam. Two thirds of America's troops have gone in two years. -
Peace talks break down
In Paris, peace talks between the North Vietnamese and the Americans breakdown. -
Peace talks resume
North Vietnam and the United States resume peace talks in Paris. -
Cease fire signed
All warring parties in the Vietnam War sign a cease fire. -
Nixon Resigns
President Richard M. Nixon resigns, leaving South Vietnam without its strongest advocate. -
Last casualties for the US and final evacuation
At 4:03 a.m., two U.S. Marines are killed in a rocket attack at Saigon's Tan Son Nhut airport. They are the last Americans to die in the Vietnam War. At dawn, the last Marines of the force guarding the U.S. embassy lift off.