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Vietnam is divided
Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel by the Geneva Accords -
U.S. aids South Vietnam
The U.S. begins to supply military aid to South Vietnam, marking the beginning of U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/conflict-in-vietnam-timeline/#5 -
Ngo Dinh Diem criticized
Ngo is criticised for seizing land from Buddhist farmers and giving it to Catholic Vietnamese. This is how the South Vietnamese
begins to distrust President Ngo.
http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/conflict-in-vietnam-timeline/#5 -
Ho Chi Minh Calls for a People's War
In an attempt to reunite Vietnam, North Vietnam President Ho Chi Minh declared a "peoples' war" officially beginning the Second Indo China War. http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/conflict-in-vietnam-timeline/#5 -
The U.S. is officially involved with the Vietnam War
Americans entered Vietnam on December 11th, but the first American combat death was reported on December 22nd. For many Americans, this meant the beginning of the War.
http://thevietnamwar.info/when-was-the-vietnam-war/ -
Buddhist Monk sets himself on Fire
Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk, set himself on fire to raise awareness of the persecution against Buddhist monks that President Ngo Dinh Diem caused. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/06/fiftieth-anniversary-of-vietnamese-monk-setting-himself-on-fire/ -
Ngo Dinh Diem is assassinated
The majority of South Vietnamese were Buddhist. President Ngo was Catholic, and the people saw him as a threat rather as someone who was trying to help South Vietnam. The. U.S. also happened to have a hard time with Ngo because they were in disagreement with many plans. With U.S. knowledge, South Vietnamese generals assassinated him.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/20/us/vietnam-war-five-things/ -
First American combat troops enter Vietnam
3,500 Marines arrive in Vietnam at ‘China Beach’, near Da Nang. This is significant as Americans are beginning to attempt to attack North Vietnamese troops. http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/conflict-in-vietnam-timeline/#5 -
Nguyen Van Thieu is elected South Vietnam President
A few years after the death of President Ngo, Nguyen Van Thieu is elected President for South Vietnam. http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/conflict-in-vietnam-timeline/#5 -
Tet Offensive
Tet is a Vietnamese holiday similar to Chinese New Year. On the night of Tet 1968, the Vietcong decided to launch an attack against South Vietnam. "More than 80,000 communist troops striking more than 100 towns and cities, including 36 of 44 provincial capitals, five of the six autonomous cities, 72 of 245 district towns, and the southern capital."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive -
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was considered one of the worst civilian attacks in the Vietnam War. It is believed as many as 500 people including women, children and the elderly were killed. American troops were unable to distinguish between North and South Vietnamese so they "accidentally killed" the wrong people. Americans managed to cover up this incident up to a year before a soldier who heard about it and sparked and international outrage.
http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/my-lai-massacre -
Ho Chi Minh Dies
Ho Chi Minh passes away from heart failure at the age of 79. He remains to be known as a revolutionary icon even to this day. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ho-chi-minh-dies -
U.S. votes to have all Amercan troops leave Vietnam
The US Congress votes to withdraw all American troops from Vietnam by the end of that year. http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/conflict-in-vietnam-timeline/#5 -
American Troops pull out of Vietnam
American troops were finally able to go home. However, they were scared of facing protestors and were suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as well as other psychological conditions. At this point South Vietnam was very weak and North Vietnam were excited about the Americans leaving. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/03/today_in_history_vietnam_toops_withdraw_40th_anniversary.html -
Fall of Saigon
North Vietnamese invaded Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. South Vietnam had to surrender and Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. This is a picture of a family evacuating Saigon the day before it got captured. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Saigon -
North and South Vietnam reunite
The two Vietnams formally unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the Reunification Hall, (Dinh Độc Lập in Vietnamese) http://www.vietnamfamousdestinations.com/2014/01/reunification-hall-dinh-oc-lap.html
