Timeline of Vietnam War

France began to colonize Vietnam

Aug 19, 1800

The French took over Vietnam with other countries, they created the Frech Indochina.

Nationalism began spreading through Vietnam

Dec 4, 1900

Nationalists in Vietnam felt like they needed self-goverance and less influence of the French.

Vietnam was partitioned at the 17th Parallel

Jul 24, 1954

Vietnam was divided into a communist North and a non-communist (democratic) South.

Militray advisors sent to Vietnam

Oct 11, 1962

President John F. Kennedy sent military advisors to Vietnam to help resolve the conflict.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Aug 7, 1964

This resolution created by the Senate allowed President Johnson to have more US involvement in Vietnam.

Some protests against the War began

Nov 18, 1964

Many people felt the war was 'not their fight' and protested about it. This manily happened on college campuses.

Operation "Rolling Thunder"

Feb 28, 1965

Bombing campains in North Vietnam were part of this opertaion.

US troops land in Vietnam

Mar 8, 1965

3,500 US Marines were the first American soldiers to land in South Vietnam

Tet Offensive

Jan 30, 1968

The Viet-Minh and the Vietcong began to bomb cities in South Vietnam, including thirty US military locations .

My Lai Massacre

Mar 16, 1968

Thiusands of Vietnamese civilians were killed by the Viet-Minh and the Vietcong, which angered many US soldiers

Paris Peace Accords

Jan 27, 1973

This peace treaty endeed all of the US's involvement in Vietnam and later allowed for thousands of soldiers to return home

The fall of Saigon

Apr 30, 1975

North Vietnamese soldiers captured the South Vietnam caqpital city after the last US soldiers left.