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Battle of Dien Bien Phu
French forces suffer a terrible defeat at Dien Bien Phu which led to the Geneva Accords and the beginning of U.S. involvment in the VIetnam War. -
Geneva Accords Signed
France, Britain, China, and the U.S.S.R. sign the Geneva Accords. The U.S. and South Vietnam refuse to sign. The U.S. promises to honor the Accords. -
Troops Sent to South Vietnam
JFK sends 400 combat troups to South Vietnam under the guise of advisors. -
JFK Assasinated
Kennedy's assasination leads to an uncertain future for the Vietnam War. LBJ his vice president was forced to take over after his death. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The North VIetnamese attack two U.S. destroyers in international waters. -
Nixon Promise Gradual Withdrawl
President-elect Richard Nixon promises to gradually withdraw troops from Vietnam to appease the nation. By this point 536,100 soldiers have been deployed. -
Draft Lottery Established
The U.S. Gov't enacted the draft lottery to decide which American men would be drafted. This caused the elimination of almost all the authorized draft exemptions. -
U.S. Will Attack Cambodia
President Nixon announces troops will attack enemy locations in Cambodia. -
Kent State Shootings
Student protesters at Kent State in Ohio were fired upon by the Ohio National Guard. Four students were killed and nine wounded, including one who would have permanent paralysis. -
Pentagon Papers
The New York Times published the Pentagon Papers revealing secrets about the government and the war from 1945 to 1967. -
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords are signed that provide a cease-fire. -
Draft Ends
With the war coming to a close, the U.S. Government officially ended the draft. -
Troops Withdrawn
The last U.S. troops are withdrawn from Vietnam. -
South Vietnam Surrenders
South VIetnam Surrenders to the communists. -
Vietnam Unifies
Vietnam Unifies as a communist country, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
