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Ho Chi Minh founds Indochinese Communist Party
This was started in Minh to stage revolts against French rulers who jailed the many Vietnamese nationalists. The French condemned Minh and put an end to the party. -
Japan occupies Vietnam
The year before Ho Chi Minh returned home to form the Vietminh the Japanese took control of Vietnam. They were finally forced to leave in 1945 when the Vietnamese pushed them out of Vietnam. -
Ho Chi Minh founds Viet Minh
The Japanese took over Vietnam in 1940. The goal of Vietminh was to win back freedom of Vietnam from Japan. 1945 when the Japanese were defeated and forced to leave Vietnam -
Viet Minh captures Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh establishes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
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Eisenhower introduces domino theory
Eisenhower’s idea that the United States was in a stalemate with communists in Korea. Eisenhower explained how countries that were about to be taken over by communist were like dominos, if one nation fell to communism so would other nations. -
Viet Minh defeat French at Dien Bien Phu
The French were forced to surrender in 1954. The Vietnam took over the French outpost at Dien Bien Phu. The U.S. aided the French but could not retake Vietnam. -
Vietcong begin attacks on Diem government
Communist group in the South that opposed the government Diem was running an attack. The South assassinated thousands of South Vietnamese government officials. -
Ngo Dinh Diem overthrown in U.S.-backed coup
U.S. supported troops took South Vietnam’s ruler out of power. In order to keep South Vietnam in hand, Diem was taken by U.S. troops and assassinated, even though Kennedy did not want it. -
U.S. Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
An alleged attacked/stike by Vietnam on Maddox which U.S. navy destroyer prompted Johnson to call for measures to repel attacks on U.S. forces. Congress approved this and then broadened military power in Vietnam -
U.S. forces begin Operation Rolling Thunder bombing campaign
Operation Rolling Thunder consisted of sustained bombing done against North Vietnam. This operation was a failure, because the U.S Air Force was redistricted on their targets, as they did not want to provoke Russia or China into the war. The North Vietnamese also had air defenses given by the Russians. But because of this operation, the Vietcong attacked U.S airbases in South Vietnam. This caused even more marines to be deployed in Vietnam.
