The Fall of Saigon By molstaa20 Jan 1, 1949 Communists take power in China Period: Jan 1, 1949 to Dec 31, 2009 Vietnam War Jan 1, 1950 The Korean War begins Jan 1, 1954 President Eisenhower sends military advisers to South Vietnam Jan 1, 1964 Two North Vietnamese gun boats were said to have attacked and American Destroyer Jan 1, 1965 Full-scale American military intervention begins Jan 1, 1968 North Vietnam and the Vietcong launch the Tet Offensive Mar 1, 1968 American support for the war plummets Jan 1, 1969 Johnson decides to extricate the U.S. from Vietnam Jan 1, 1973 The Paris Peace Accords called for an end to the fighting Apr 1, 1975 Saigon falls to Communists Apr 30, 1975 Americans flee Saigon Jan 1, 1986 Vietnam institues free-market reforms Jan 1, 1993 President Clinton lifts the U.S. trade embargo with Vietnam Jan 1, 1995 Diplomatic relations are restored between the U.S. and Vietnam Nov 1, 2009 Commander Hung Ba Le, who was a Vietnamese-American, led a U.S. Navy ship to make a goodwill visit to Vietnam