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Johnson Reports To Kennedy
Vice President Johnson returns to the United States from a visit to SoutheastAsia and gives a report to Kennedy on his trip. He states that the US musteither help the countries of Southeast Asia or pull back its defenses toSan Francisco -
Kennedy and Diem Meet
Following a meeting between south vietnam president Diem and Kennedy, the united sates agreed to increas the numbers of americans advicers in vietnam from 340 to 805 -
US Begins To Use Defoliants
The US Air Force launches Operation Ranch Hand to deny the Vietcong theuse of the road and trails. Using a defoliating herbicide named Agent Orange,over 10% of the vegetation in Vietnam is destroyed during the course ofthe war. The defoliant also causes severe disabilities among Vietnam veterans -
US Begins To Use Defoliants
The US Air Force launches Operation Ranch Hand to deny the Vietcong theuse of the road and trails. Using a defoliating herbicide named Agent Orange,over 10% of the vegetation in Vietnam is destroyed during the course ofthe war -
Helicopters OrderedTo Shoot First
U.S. Helicopters are ordered to shoot first when encountering hostileforces after two helicopters are shot down while ferrying South Vietnamesetroops. -
Diem Overthrown
South Vietnam's President Diem is overthrown in a military coup. Thecoup takes place with the tacit approval of the United States. -
Government TroopsFire On Buddhists
South Vietnamese troops, enforcing a ban on the Buddhist multicoloredflag, fire upon 20,000 Buddhists at Hue. The attack begins a series of intensifyingprotests by Buddhists against the government. -
Buddhist Monk Sets Himself On Fire
Buddhist monk Quang Duc sets himself on fire in protest against the Diemgovernment's policies. Buddhist protesst intensify daily -
Year Ended
therer are 16,500 servicemen in Vietnam. During the corse of 1963,76 u.s servicemen are killed in the war. -
Viet Cong Troops Cross Border and SeizeHamlets
Five hundred Viet Cong troops cross the border and seize three strategichamlets. They are forced to withdraw after a 14 hour gun fight with ARVN(the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam). -
US Aircraft Attack North Vietnam
In responce the the U.S.S Maddox,president johnson ordered attawck u.s aircraft on north vietnam -
ARVN Defeated at Binh Gia
A six day battle around the village of Binh Gia ends with a clear ARVNdefeat. Two hundred of their best troops are killed and three hundred arewounded. Five Americans are killed and three are declared missing. -
Rolling Thunder Begins
The US launches Rolling Thunder, in which 100 US Air Force planes and60 South Vietnamese planes bomb North Vietnam. These are the first air raidsagainst North Vietnam that are not in direct retaliation for Communist attacks -
First Campus Sit-In
In the United States, the first anti-Vietnam War campus sit-in takesplace at the University of Michigan. Another such sit-in follows at ColumbiaUniversity. -
Operation Masher
In the largest search and destroy mission up to that point in the war, Operation Masher, 2,389 Viet Cong casualties are reported
