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Creation of the Ho Chi Minh Trail
This trail was created to help move supplies over to the Vietcong. It ran along the Vietnam-Cambodia border. This was very important because it easily delivered supplies to the enemy. -
U.S Becomes Actively Involved
In 1961, the U.S. goes to Vietnam. They go to advise South Vietnam in the war. This is significant because this is how it all started. -
Operation Rangeland
This operation was meant to clear the trees from the side of the highways. This was intended to stop the U.S. troops by being attacked by the Vietcong. -
Gulf of Tonkin Attack
The U.S.S. Maddox reported of being attacked by the North Vietnamese. These statements however were later proved to be false. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
As a result of the Gulf of Tonkin Attack, congress gave President Jhonson the power to use U.S. troops in South Vietnam against the communist forces. This is basically what got us into the actual fighting part of the war. -
Rolling Thunder Begins
A long lasting bombing offensive by the United States on North Vietnam. It is meant to stop the support of the Vietcong in South Korea. -
Rolling Thunder Begins
This was an offensive bombing plan by the U.S. on the North Vietnamese. The plan was to bomb slow, then gradualy attack more aggresively to weaken the North Vietnamese mentally and physicaly. The targets were highways, railroads, and bridges. -
U.S. Offers Peace for Economic Aid Proposal
This was an offer made by the U.S. to North Vietnam to give economic aid in order to end the war. The North Vietnam rejected the propoasal, and as a result the U.S. increased the troops in Vietnam. -
First Major Battle of the Vietnam War for American Units.
Th U.S. launched Operation Satrlite to make for their first battle. This took place at the Chu Lai marine base. The U.S. won this battle with only 45 deaths. The North Vietnamese Army lost 700 men. -
Presidnet Jhonson commits over 60,000 troops to Vietnam
This action placed the U.S. deep in the war. This is important because it meant that at that moment, the U.S. was in the war for good. -
American Forces Total 385,000
This event shows how bad the U.S. wanted South Vietnam to become democratic. With that many troops over there, they were really serious about the whole situation. -
Operation Junction City
Operation Junction City was a plan to destroy the Vietcong base. Ther base, which was in war zone c, was located just North of Saigon. This battle lasted 72 days. -
Khe Sanh Attacked by Vietcong
The Vietcong attacks the Marine base which is located in Khe Sanh. 18 people were killed and 40 wounded in this battle. -
TET Offensive Begins
The Vietcong surge across all of South Vietnam through 100 cities and towns. The Vietcong lost 37,000 men. The Americans lost 2,500 men, however, this was a serious blow to thw public support. -
My Lai Massacre
U.S. Charlie company kills more than 200 civilians in the small village of My Lai. One of the men involved was charged of war crimes. This event also raised questions about the conduct of war. -
Rolling Thunder Ends
By the end of this operation, the U.S. lost 900 aircrafts and around 1,000 men. 182,000 North Vietnamese civilians were killed and about 20,000 Chinese support personel. -
Nixon Takes Office
Nixon became president and promises to acheive "Peace with Honor." His plan is to find a way to relieve Vietnam of the half million American forces there, while still allowing South Vietnam to survive. -
Operation Menu
Nixon orders the bombing of Vietnamese and Vietcong bases in Cambodia. Over the next 4 years, The U.S. will have droped over a half million tons of bombs on Cambodia. -
Spraying of agent Arange Ends
The U.S. stops sparying the Vietnam forests with this toxic chemical arter dumping more than 11 million gallons of it. 1/7 of the land in Vietnam was destroyed. -
All but 133,000 U.S. Troops have Returned Home
This is a sighn that the U.S. is trying to get out of the war, while still trying to help South Vietnam. This is very significant because it shows that the U.S. was in fact trying to end the war. -
Peace Talks Break Down
The U.S. and the North Vietnamese are trying to come to terms of peaces in Paris, but neither are aggreeing on anything. -
Peace Talks Resume
The U.S. and the North Vietnamese are once again trying to come to terms of peace in order to end the war. This is important because it shows that both side want the war to be over. -
Cease Fire Signed
The war is just about over. All sides have signed the ceaese fire bill, which ends the actual fighting. -
Nixon Resigns
President Nixon resigns. This levaes South Vietnam without it's most valuable advocate. -
Last Casualties for the U.S. and Final Evacuation
Two U.S. marines were killed. marking the last casulties of the war. Neraly a million NVA and Vietcong troops were killed, and a quarter of a million South Vietnam soilders died. The war lasted 15 years.