-
Vietnam Declares Independance
Vietnamese communist Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France just hours after Japan surrendered in World War II. He organized the Vietnamese guerilla organization, the Viet Minh, and launched an attack on the French shortly after, beginning the First IndoChina War. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
This battle was the decisive battle in the first IndoChina War between France and the Viet Minh. The battle ended in French defeat and was significant because it influenced negotiations over the future of IndoChina at the Geneva convention. -
Geneva Conference
Delegates from 9 nations met in Geneva, Switzerland in attempt to settle disputes on the Korean peninsula and discuss issues in IndoChina. The outcome of the conference was a set of documents called the Geneva Accords, which temporarily separated Vietnam into two zones- the North governed by the Viet Minh, and the South governed by the State of Vietnam and the former emperor. -
Kennedy Elected President
In a very close race against Nixon, Kennedy was elected president. He was both the youngest man to ever be elected and the first Catholic. He made it clear that he supported South Vietnam, and supported the Domino Theory. -
Ngo Dinh Diem Assassinated
Diem was the first president of South Vietnam. His arrest and assassination was the culmination of a CIA-backed coup d'etat. This created American concern for the backing of the military junta. -
Kennedy Assassination
JFK was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswald in a presidential motorcade. It evoked stunned reactions worldwide. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Confrontations in the water between Vietnam and the United States that turned out to be a false flag operation by the CIA to have an excuse to go to war. The outcome was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which granted Johnson permission to assist any Southeast Asian country whose government was jeopardized by communism. It was Johnson's justification for deploying troops to North Vietnam. -
U.S. Sends First Combat Troops to Vietnam
This was the first official U.S. involvement in the war. -
Tet Offensive
North Vietnam and the Vietcong launched an attack against South Vietnam, the U.S., and their allies. It was a series of surprise attacks on military and civilian posts throughout South Vietnam. -
My Lai Massacre
The U.S. Army committed a mass murder of unarmed civilians in South Vietnam. Victims included men, women, children, and infants. The incident prompted global outrage and 26 soldiers were charged with criminal offenses. -
Nixon Elected President
Richard Nixon was elected president in one of the closest elections in history. Nixon ran on a promise to "bring us together" after many years of war, and promised to find "peace with honor" in Vietnam. -
Nixon Announces Vietnamization
Vietnamization was a policy of the Nixon administration to end U.S. involvement in the war. The goal was to expand and train Southern Vietnamese troops while gradually pulling out American troops. -
Paris Peace Accords
These talks were intended to establish peace in Vietnam and to end the war. The governments of North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the U.S. signed the agreement. The accords had little practical effect on the conflict. -
Ford becomes President
Gerald Ford was sworn in after Nixon resigned because of the Watergate scandal. -
Saigon Falls to Communism
The last few Americans are evacuated from Vietnam as South Vietnamese President Duong Van Minh surrenders to the communists.
