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Truman starts to aid the french
The United States, identifying the Viet Minh as a Communist threat, steps up military assistance to France for their operations against the Viet Minh. -
Domino theory idea is brought the front
in a speech, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower says the fall of French Indochina to communists could create a “domino” effect in Southeast Asia. This so-called domino theory guides U.S. thinking on Vietnam for the next decade -
Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords establish North and South Vietnam with the 17th parallel as the dividing line. The agreement also stipulates that elections are to be held within two years to unify Vietnam under a single democratic government. These elections never happen. -
Gulf of Tonkin incident
The Gulf of Tonkin incident, also known as the USS Maddox incident, was an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War. -
Operation Flaming Dart
Operation Flaming Dart was America's response in 1965 to North Vietnamese attacks on US bases in South Vietnam. Operation Flaming Dart commenced in February 1965 and was ordered by US President Lyndon B Johnson. ... Eight US soldiers were killed with over 100 injured -
Operation Rolling Thunder begins
Operation Rolling Thunder missions commenced against North Vietnam. The goal of the operation was to discourage the Hanoi regime's direction and support of an insurgency that threatened to destroy the Republic of Vietnam. -
American Aircraft attacks start
American aircraft attack targets in Hanoi and Haiphong in raids that are among the first such attacks on cities in North Vietnam. -
Operation Starlite
Operation Starlite was the first major offensive action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War. The operation was launched based on intelligence provided by Major general Nguyen Chanh Thi, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam -
The Battle of Ia Drang
The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam, also referred to as the North Vietnamese Army, and was part of the Pleiku Campaign conducted early in the Vietnam War. -
U.S. bombing
U.S. aircraft bomb Haiphong Harbor and North Vietnamese airfields.