US Escalation In Vietnam

By ZachSteffe
  • French Are Defeated (End of Indochina War)

    French Are Defeated (End of Indochina War)

    Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces defeat the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, effectively ending the 7 ½-year Indochina War.
  • The Geneva Agreements Were Signed

    The Geneva Agreements Were Signed

    At a conference in Geneva, world powers agree to a divided Vietnam. Communists, led by Ho Chi Minh, control the North. The United States eventually supports an anticommunist government led by Ngo Dinh Diem in the South.
  • First Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party Is Replaced

    First Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party Is Replaced

    Le Duan replaces Ho Chi Minh as First Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party in Hanoi.
  • John F. Kennedy Becomes President

    John F. Kennedy Becomes President

    John F. Kennedy beats Richard Nixon in the U.S. presidential election, Lyndon B. Johnson is vice president.
  • The Viet Cong Is Formed

    The Viet Cong Is Formed

    Southern revolutionaries, backed by the North Vietnamese Communist Party, form the National Liberation Front. Also known as the "Viet Cong".
  • Buddhist Monk Lights Himself On Fire.

    Buddhist Monk Lights Himself On Fire.

    Self immolation of Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc in Saigon creates outrage around the world and brings attention to the developing conflict.
  • President Diem and His Brother Assassinated

    President Diem and His Brother Assassinated

    President Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu are murdered during a coup by dissident generals of the South Vietnamese army.
  • President Kennedy Assassinated

    President Kennedy Assassinated

    Kennedy is assassinated and Johnson is sworn in as president.
  • Gulf of Tonkin Incident

    Gulf of Tonkin Incident

    Two supposed incidents in the Gulf of Tonkin lead Johnson to seek congressional approval for direct U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
  • Battle of La Drang

    Battle of La Drang

    In the Ia Drang Valley, American troops fight their first large scale battles against the North Vietnamese Army.
  • Surprise Attacks in South Vietnam

    Surprise Attacks in South Vietnam

    During the "Tet Offensive", North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launch surprise attacks against targets throughout South Vietnam.
  • Over 500 Civilians Killed in My Lai

    Over 500 Civilians Killed in My Lai

    Over the course of four hours, American soldiers kill more than 500 civilians in and around My Lai. This was part of their "Search and Destroy Tactic.