-
Period: to
Pentagon Papers
A top secret Department of Defense study about the United State's involvement in the Vietnam War from 1945 to 1967. As the war dragged on, military analyst Daniel Ellsberg slowly came to despise the war. He stole and copied the Pentagon Papers, and gave it to the New York Times. He felt that the American public had a right to know more about the Vietnam War. The Times published the papers, confirming the many doubts about the Vietnam War, which was no longer supported by Americans after this. -
Period: to
Ho Chi Minh Trail
A series of trails used by the North Vietnamese as a route into the South, and as a supply trail. Mainly consisting of false trails to confuse Americans, many of these trails were through jungle, as the thick foliage disguised what was happening on the ground. The Americans responded by using defoliants to kill off the greenery. However, the trails were too vast to be wiped out, and were used against the South Vietnamese for the duration of the war, giving them a great advantage. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The U.S. destroyer Maddox and North Vietnamese torpedo boats exchanged shots in the Gulf of Tonkin. Two days later, the Maddox reported being fired upon again. Looking back, it is speculated that neither of these exchanges happened, but it was the perfect opportunity for the United States to get involved in the Vietnam War. Lyndon B. Johnson retaliated by the end of the day with air strikes, and troops on the ground long after. -
The United States Enters the Vietnam War
On March 8, 1965, the first American combat troops, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, waded ashore at China Beach north of Da Nang. There had already been limited U.S.naval action, the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, and the bombing of North Vietnam had commenced. There were also 23,000 military advisers already on the ground. From the beginning, there was unrest among the American society about the United State's involvement in the Vietnam War. -
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was a systematic murder of up to 500 people in My Lai by the American Charlie Company. The massacre only halted when Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson landed his helicopter between the soldiers and civilians. The event was then covered up for a year, and was brought to the light to be met by outrage. The My Lai Massacre, both the event and the cover up, added to the American dissension over the United State's presence in Vietnam. -
Ho Chi Minh Dies
Ho Chi Minh, the President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, dies of a heart attack. Minh was the biggest supporter of communism since the beginning. With his death, the communist party in North Vietnam loses a face. He had provided their inspiration and encouragement in the war from the beginning, and his death was a shaking blow for many in North Vietnam. -
Kent State Incident
When Richard Nixon announced the American invasion of Cambodia, protests erupted across the country. One riot at Kent State University in Ohio got out of hand with the burning of a building. The riot was further escalated when 28 guardsmen opened fire on a crowd, injuring 9 and killing 4 students. The guards were not indicted for lack of evidence. This violence added to the unrest in American society. -
Cease-fire
At this point in the war, Saigon is in control of 75% of South Vietnam, and 85% as a population, the same as a year before. A cease-fire is negotiated and goes into effect at 8 of January 28. Immediately, the cease-fire is violated on both ends, resulting in an endless chain of retaliations. As a result, almost 25,000 South Vietnamese were killed in battle in 1973, while communist losses in South Vietnam were estimated at 45,000. -
War Powers Act
The War Powers Act was passed in 1973 after President Nixon tried to veto it. The Act limits the president's ability to commit U.S. forces overseas by requiring the executive branch to consult and get permission from Congress before making any actions. The Act was widely regarded as a measure to prevent "future Vietnams" in American international affairs. -
Fall of Saigon
The United States had been consistently pulling their troops out of South Vietnam, leaving them to fend for themselves. South Vietnam fought against the North Vietnam troops for as long as they could, but North Vietnam slowly gained ground. Invading over the course of several days, North Vietnam triumphed, and Saigon fell to communism on April 30, 1975.
