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Geneva Conference
Held in Switzerland, the basis of the conference was to end the conflict between France and Vietnam, and to discuss the beginning of the civil war developing in Vietnam between the north and the south. -
Barrel Roll
A secret war on Laos was started that the American government never acknowledged to the public. Laos was believed to be the hot spot for conflict in the early ‘60’s due to a civil war in the country. North Vietnam had troops stationed in the country, and after they violated an agreement to remove their troops, the civil war continued, forcing President Kennedy to take action and help the area. -
Operation Ranch Hand
The use of herbicides was very popular throughout US involvement in the war. Much of it was used to destroy vegetation in which the Vietcong used for concealment. It also, though minimally, was used for destroying crops that helped supply North Vietnam and the Vietcong with food. -
Tonkin Resolution
President Johnson and Congress allowed strikes to commence on North Vietnamese forces that had attacked American ships five days earlier. It was seen as controversial to the public since war had not been declared. -
Operation Flaming Dart
This was President Johnson’s response to North Vietnamese bombings on American bases in South Vietnam. He ordered air strikes on northern bases in an attempt to show the strength of the US military against that of North Vietnam to their government in Hanoi. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
The American air campaign began on this day in Vietnam, virtually lasting until all American troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. The idea was a constant bombardment to tear down North Vietnamese forces, but it is said to have failed at its overall purpose. -
Battle of Khe Sanh
North Vietnamese forces attacked a US marine garrison at Khe Sanh at what would become one of the deadliest battles of the war. This allowed Northern troops to commence the Tet Offensive, as US and South Vietnamese forces focused their attention on Khe Sanh. -
Tet Offensive
North Vietnamese soldiers infiltrated roughly 100 South Vietnamese cities for a surprise attack. Fighting lasted several weeks, and after it was over, President Johnson decided to cease escalation of American involvement in the war, realizing their foe was much larger and stronger than expected. -
Vietnamization
President Nixon proposed a plan to cease American involvement in Vietnam and to hand over the responsibilities to South Vietnam. The plan was completed in 1973 when the final American troops in Vietnam were finally removed. -
Operation Dewey Canyon
In an effort to cut North Vietnamese communication lines, three battalions of Marines were moved to Laos in an effort to shut down North Vietnamese forces, destroy bases, and remove their lines of communications from the area. The operation was highly successful, as the Marines had spent the previous eight months learning how to navigate all of the mountain terrain within a 61 kilometer valley they were positioned on the edge of. -
Kent State
President Nixon issued orders to invade Cambodia, which didn’t settle well with Americans who were already questioning involvement in the war, that stated the need for another 150,000 troops. Riots at Kent State in Ohio broke out, National Guardsmen were sent in to control the riots, and they fired into the crowd, killing four and wounding nine others. -
26th Amendment
This lowered the legal voting age from 21 to 18 because it was seen as unfair for young men to have to serve their country at war without the ability to vote. It was the shortest amount of time it has ever taken to ratify an amendment, just over two months, and President Nixon signed it into law promptly after its ratification. -
Operation Linebacker I
Bombing raids were conducted in North Vietnam throughout 1972 in an attempt to force North Vietnam to continue talks on ending the war. These occurred as Nixon was working on withdrawing US forces from Vietnam entirely. -
Operation Linebacker II
After failing to initiate serious discussion of a ceasefire with North Vietnam, more bombing raids were initiated to target power plants and railroads around Hanoi and Haiphong. After roughly 1300 bombing runs, North Vietnam was persuaded into entering negotiations for a ceasefire. -
Operation Homecoming
Negotiations to return American POWs were successful, and on this day, the first captured soldiers were boarded onto aircraft and sent back to the US. The end result was the returning of 591 prisoners to US soil. -
War Powers Act
The design of this act gives the President the ability to use US troops as he sees fit, but Congress must approve the action within 90 days. The purpose is to give justifiable means in the eyes of Congress and the public to using US armed forces in conflict. -
US Withdrawal of Troops
The final US troops were removed from Vietnam on this date. Over the preceding three years, President Nixon had over 500,000 troops removed from Vietnam after they helped train South Vietnamese forces to fight against Northern forces. -
Operation Babylift
A couple years after US troops were out of Vietnam, an effort was made by the American people to help the lives of South Vietnamese children. Thousands of adoptions were made by families around the world in an attempt to help the lives of these children. Though highly successful, the first flight in the operation failed due to a mechanical problem killing 154 people, mostly children. -
Operation Frequent wind
With northern takeover imminent, thousands of American and South Vietnamese citizens were taken back to the states in the largest helicopter evacuation in military history. Helicopters and ships were rapidly moving citizens out of the country over these two days. On April 30, the fall of Saigon marked the end of US involvement and the fall of South Vietnam. -
South Vietnam surrenders
Communist forces had moved into the city of Saigon, meeting light resistance. Gerald Ford and American forces due nothing to aid South Vietnam as the Presidential Palace is overrun by tanks and other North Vietnamese forces.
