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U.S. Gets Tough
President Johnson pushes for stiffer policies on Vietnam -
Gulf of Tonkin
The USS Maddox is on spy patrol 30 miles off the coast of Vietnam when it reports an attack by three enemy vessels. -
Operation "Rolling Thunder" Begins
Johnson approves Rolling Thunder in February, believing that a program of limited bombing in North Vietnam will deter support for Vietcong. Rolling Thunder continues for three years and eight months, involving 305,380 raids and 634,000 tons of bombs. Results include: 818 pilots killed and hundreds more captured; 182,000 civilians killed in North Vietnam. -
First Anti-Vietnam War Teach-In
Anti-war faculty members and the SDS publicize and protest U.S. involvement in Vietnam. About 3,000 attend. -
Martin Luther King Opposes War
Breaking with the President, Martin Luther King announces his opposition to the war. -
Secretary of Defense Resigns
Robert McNamara is ousted following months of increasing conflict with the President and military leaders. McNamara's removal is precipitated by private communications with the President, and public remarks questioning Johnson's policies. -
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Tet Offensive Launched by Vietcong
To the Vietnamese, Tet is a culturally important celebration of the Lunar New Year. U.S. planners and troops are unprepared when the North Vietnamese and Vietcong use festivities as cover, surging into Saigon and other key cities. Within days, U.S. forces retake most areas; an intense battle for Hue rages for 26 days. -
Cronkite Urges Negotiations to End War
CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite, known as America's "most-trusted man," files a special report from Vietnam. He experiences intensive combat in the aftermath of the Tet Offensive. Departing from accepted news style, Cronkite shares his personal feelings, telling viewers he is "more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate." Insiders see this as a key factor in Johnson's decision to offer negotiations and not seek re-election in '68. -
My Lai Massacre
Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, is on a "search and destroy" mission in the hamlet of My Lai. Something goes horribly wrong, resulting in violent death for hundreds of unarmed civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. After one and a half years, the officer at My Lai, Lt. William Calley, is brought up on murder charges. News of atrocities at My Lai doesn't reach public media until November 1969. -
Two Million Take Part in Peace Moratorium
A one-day nationwide action, the Peace Moratorium is the largest demonstration in U.S. history. Protestors include many first-time activists. Events include religious services, street rallies, public meetings, school seminars, and marches. Participants wear black armbands to signify opposition to the war and honor the dead. Washington, D.C., a natural focal point, draws 250,000 demonstrators.