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The Beginning of Conflict
Due to a rumor that the United States was preparing an invasion, the Japanese overthrew the French colonial government on March 9th. That July, following the peace talks after WW2, in order to lessen the power of the Japanese, Vietnam was divided at the 16th parallel. In August, the Japanese surrender to the North Vietnamese guerrillas and they occupied the city of Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh is put into power and he declares a provisional government -
The Domino Theory
At this time, the Soviet Union had made many of its satellite countries around it communist. Eisenhower believed in the domino theory. The Domino Theory was a foreign policy stating that one small change could lead to another, and another, and so on until everything is changed. Eisenhower thought that if enough countries began becoming communist, that every country would soon be affected. -
The Indochina War
The French made their final stand to keep Vietnam in Dien Bien Phu. Their eyes were on the riches within the country. The battle resulted in the French military taking a hard beating. The French were finally pushed out but the South was now afraid the communist North would attempt to take them over. -
Campaign of Terror against Diem Controlled Villages
Ho Chi Minh declares a civil war after he united Vietnam under his leadership. This begins the second Indochina War in March of that year. He later sends around 4000 guerrillas in July to attack the Southern villages. -
The Vietcong is Formed
Vietcong is a word meaning communist Vietnamese. Ho sent many men disguised as South Vietnamese civilians to work against the South or attempt to undermine Diem’s government. -
United States begins using Agent Orange
Agent orange was a strong poison used to clear out the jungle. It would kill any plant life it touched. The U.S. army would spray it over the jungle canopy to clear over 4.5 million acres of land. It was later found that the agent caused many terrible health problems like tumors, cancers, and birth defects. -
The Gulf of Tonkin
After an attack on the gulf of Tonkin, the U.S. congress approved of larger involvement in the Vietnam War. That spring, the U.S. had detailed battle plans made up and ready. Though the government approved, many of its citizens were still very much against the war. -
First U.S. Ground Troops sent to Vietnam
The First U.S. ground troops sent to Vietnam arrived on February 9th, . A U.S. Marine Corps Hawk Air Defense Missile Battalion was sent the by LBJ. Lyndon Johnson sent them there to protect a key U.S. Airbase in Da Nang. Both Communist China and the Soviet Union threatened to intervene if U.S. involvement increased further. Some 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Moscow and attacked the U.S. embassy there. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder VideoIt began on March 2nd, 1965. It involved a large number of strategic bombing runs on important North Vietnamese positions. They mainly bombed a large trail known as the Ho Chi Minh trail, which connected the North Vietnamese and moved supplies quickly. Operation Rolling Thunder began in response to a North Vietnamese attack on an American Airbase in Pleiku. They bombing disrupted troops and supplies traveling along the trail. -
The Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive began on January 30th, 1968. It was on the night of a Vietnamese Lunar New Year holiday. Nearly 70,000 North Vietnamese troops fiercely attacked several cities and towns in South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese suffered many casualties and were eventually driven back. However, the American public was extremely dismayed by this huge attack. The public began to believe the war could never be won. The Tet Offensive began a long and painful withdrawal of American troops. -
Vietnamization
President Nixon announced Vietnamization through a televised speech on November 3rd 1969. Vietnamization was chosen as a name to emphasize the contrast between the Americanization of the war. The plan was to gradually remove all troops from Vietnam and also to modernize the South Vietnamese army. American troops would be out of harms way, yet the South Vietnamese would be able to handle itself. Eventually all troops were withdrawn from Vietnam and a peace agreement was reached with the North Vi -
The Kent State Incident
The Kent State incident occurred on May 4th, 1970. When Nixon announced Vietnamization, the American public was generally pleased, as many protests were being staged to go against the war. However, Nixon announced on May 1st that he planned to send troops into Cambodia, where the Vietcong’s headquarters were. The American public was extremely angered, students at Kent state protested this and some nervous national guardsmen opened fire, killing 4 and wounding 9. -
The Watergate Scandal
In the morning of June 17th, 1972, several burglars were arrested at the Watergate Building in Washington D.C. At first, it seemed like a normal robbery. However, the burglars were caught trying to wire tap phones and steal secret documents. The burglars were connected to Nixon’s reelection campaign. Nixon tried to cover up the incidents, and after his roles came to light, he resigned from office. -
U.S. Troops Withdrawn from Vietnam
On March 29th, 1973, all of the troops were completely withdrawn. An agreement was made in January to remove all troops from Vietnam. The Vietnam War was the longest war the Americans ever fought in. It was also the first war we ever lost. Over 2 million soldiers served in Vietnam, with over 500,000 actually seeing combat. In all, 47,244 Americans were killed in action in the Vietnam War.
