The Vietnam War 1954-1980

The Vietnam War

Period: Jan 1, 1954 to Dec 31, 1980

New Prime Minister in South Vietnam

Jul 7, 1954

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954"Ngo Dinh Diem becomes Prime Minister of South Vietnam. He completes the organization of his cabinet by July 7th."

Geneva Accord

Jul 20, 1954

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html"All parties except the U.S. and South Vietnam sign the Geneva Accords. Though Washington and Saigon refuse to sign, they agree to observe the terms." The Accord divided Vietnam into north and south Vietnam.

400 American Troops Sent to Vietnam

Jan 1, 1961

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954American President J.F.K. sent 400 American troops to South Vietnam to be advisors.

Cuban Missle Crisis

Oct 1, 1962

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954A fourteen day confrontation between the Soviet Union, Cuba, and the United States. It was a nuclear conflict that ended with an agreement to not use nuclear weapons because of the concept of mutually assured destruction.

"Vietnamize" the War

Oct 11, 1963

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954 U.S.President J.F.K. signed a National Security Memorandum that was going to make efforts to "vietnamize" the war and pull American troops out by 1965. However, after J.F.K.'s assasination, the order was reversed by Lyndon Johnson.

J.F.K.'s Assasination

Nov 22, 1963

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954 With the assasination of American president J.F.K., the new president, Lyndon Johnson, took more steps towards full blown war with Vietnam.

Oplan 34A Initiated

Feb 1, 1965

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954 American Operation Plan 34 A was initiated in February. It included raids on North Vietnamese coastal installations.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Feb 13, 1965

http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/timeline/index1.html "President Johnson authorizes Operation Rolling Thunder, a limited but long lasting bombing offensive. Its aim is to force North Vietnam to stop supporting Vietcong guerrillas in the South."

Protesting in America

Oct 1, 1965

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.htmlIn October and November, large protests occured in Washington D.C. and other major cities. The Vietnam War was becoming extremely unpopular at home in America.

Nixon Promises Withdrawal of Troops

Jan 1, 1968

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954 Newly elected U.S. President, Richard Nixon, " promises a gradual troop withdrawal from Vietnam. At the end of 1968 there are 536,100 U.S. troops in Vietnam. Approximately 30,000 American soldiers have been killed and 92,000 wounded."

Events in Cambodia

Apr 29, 1970

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954 An invasion by the United Sates troops into Cambodia was announced. The primary goal was to search for North Vietnamese bases inside of Cambodia. This streched out the war even longer.

No More Funding

Jul 1, 1973

http://vietnamwar.lib.umb.edu/chronology.html#1954 On July 1, 1973 the United States Congress bans anymore funding to combat in Sourtheast Asia after August 15th.

The Last Casualties

Apr 30, 1975

http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/timeline/index4.html "At 4:03 a.m., two U.S. Marines are killed in a rocket attack at Saigon's Tan Son Nhut airport. They are the last Americans to die in the Vietnam War. At dawn, the last Marines of the force guarding the U.S. embassy lift off. Only hours later, looters ransack the embassy, and North Vietnamese tanks role into Saigon, ending the war."