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The Viet Minh launched a siege against French troops in Dien Bien Phu that would eventually capture almost 10,000 French soldiers. The French looked to the U.S. for support, but the U.S. was not ready to get involved because of the possibility of numerous American casualties. source: http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-dien-bien-phu
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The Viet minh declared their independence from French and Japanese militaries. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/viet-minh-take-control-in-the-north
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Ho Chi Minh wanted to unite Vietnam, sparking the Vietnam War. source: http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/ho-chi-minh
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Major Dale Ruis and Sergeant Chester Ovnand were killed by the Viet Minh while serving as military advisors in Bien Hao. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-americans-killed-in-south-vietnam
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President Kennedy sends 400 Green Berets to South Vietnam to train the South Vietnamese soldiers in soldiering. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-kennedy-orders-more-troops-to-south-vietnam
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This prohibited the U.S. from invading parts of the Ho Chi Minh trail located on the eastern side of Laos. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/an-accord-on-laos-is-reached
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President Kennedy signed the Foreign Assistance Act of 1962 in order to provide military assistance to countries that are on the brink of a Communist attack. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20689569?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
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Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc set himself ablaze in the middle of a busy intersection in Saigon, protesting President Diem. This led to a coup between South Vietnamese officials and the U.S. against president Diem. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnamese-generals-plan-coup/print
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One day after the coup between the U.S. and the South Vietnamese officials, President Diem was captured and assassinated. This led to an opportunity for the Viet Cong to take control over much of South Vietnam. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/diem-murdered-during-coup
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President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, TX by Lee Harvey Oswald. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-assassinated
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President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president the same day of JFK's assassination. Two days later, President Johnson declared that he will not lose vietnam. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lbj-to-continue-kennedy-policy-in-vietnam
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3500 U.S. Marines arrive at Da Nang marking the first combat troops deployed to Vietnam. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-marines-land-at-da-nang
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October 15, 1965, David Miller became the first protester to burn his draft card in protest of the Vietnam War. This led to protests in 40 U.S. cities and even some international cities as well. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-draft-card-burned
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Nearly 500 people were killed, including children and women, by an Army unit in the Hamlet of My Lai. This brought even more negative sentiments to the war than what were already present. source: http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/my-lai-massacre
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On April 30, 1975, the last of U.S. troops withdraws from Vietnam, putting an end to the war. In total, 58,220 U.S. personnel died in Vietnam. source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnam-surrenders
