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Vietnamese take over a French command post at Dien Bien Phu after a battle lasting 55 days, causeing the French to loss thier resolve to carry on with the war.
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The North Vietnamese start to build a trail that will allow them to get to supplies to South Vietnam forces which is becomes known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
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400 U.S. soldiers arrive at docks in South Vietnam after Kennedy orders more help for the South Vietnamese against the North Vietcong.
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Operation Rangeland is started with the goal to clear vegetation alongside highways, making it harder for the Vietcong to hide.
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The captain of a U.S. destroyer ship reports that his ship has been fired on and they will be attacked even though later he says the attack never happened, however it still causes the U.S. to bomb two naval bases, and destroy an oil facility.
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The U.S. congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This gives President Johnson the power to take whatever actions he sees necessary to defend southeast Asia.
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President Johnson begins Operation Rolling Thunder, a bombing offensive aimed to force North Vietnam to stop supporting the Vietcong.
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The U.S. offers North Vietnam economic aid in exchange for peace, but is rejected, causing President Johnson to send more than 60,000 troops to Vietnam.
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The U.S. launches the first offensive operation by American ground forces in Vietnam.
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At the end of 1966 American forces in Vietnam total 385,000
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One of the largest air assults ever, Operation Junction City's goal was to destroy Vietcong bases and the Vietcong military headquarters for South Vietnam.
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On the Tet holiday, the Vietcong stages strong attacks throughout South Vietnam. This causes heavy casualties for both the U.S. and North Vietnam.
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In the small town of My Lai, U.S. Charlie Company kills about two hundred civilians. The government unsuccessfully tries to cover it up.
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The Vietcong stage a surpirse attack on Khe Sanh eventually forcing American troops to abandon the base.
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After three-and-a-half years, Operation Rolling Thunder comes to an end at the cost of many aircraft. The operation ultimatly failed.
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Nixon takes office and wants to end the Vietnam war while still allowing South Vietnam to survive.
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President Nixon authorizes Operation Menu, the bombing of North Vietnamese and Vietcong bases within Cambodia.
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After the chemical Dioxin is banned in the U.S., but the spraying of Agent Orange continues for a while then stops in the summer of 1971.
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Only 133,000 U.S. soldiers remain in South Vietnam.
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In Paris, peace talks between the North Vietnamese and the Americans breakdown.
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North Vietnam and the United States resume peace talks in Paris.
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Everyone taking part in the war signs a cease fire.
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President Nixon resigns.
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The last people to die in the Vietnam war are two U.S. Marines killed in a rocket attack. The last Marines of the force guarding the U.S. embassy lift off.