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Kennedy and Diem meet
Following a meeting between South Vietnam's President Diem and Kennedy, the United States agrees to increase the number of American advisors in Vietnam from 340 to 805. The commitment places the prestige of the Kennedy Adminstration behind the efforts in Vietnam. -
Agent Orange is Introduced
The U.S. Air Force launches Operation Ranch Hand to deny the Vietcong the use of the road and trails. Using a defoliating herbicide named "Agent Orange", over 10% of the vegetation in Vietnam is destroyed during the course of the war. Angent orange causes major disabilities to vietnam troops. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
The United States Senate approves the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, authorizing the President to "take all necessary measures" to repel attacks against US forces and to prevent any signs of aggression The President was givena blank check to take whatever action he deems for South Vietnam. -
Battle of Khe Sanh
The Battle of Khe Sanh begins on January 20th. The North Vietnamese,begin intense shelling of the US base camp at Khe Sanh, (located 14 milesbelow the DMZ.) -
Battle of Hamburger Hill
U.S. and South Vietnamese troops fight for Ap Bia Mountain. This was an intense batlle anw was a 10 day battle this was one of the fiercest battles of the war. After 56 Americans are killed and 420 are wounded, the troops capture the hill, killing 597 Vietnamese. The hill is recorded in history as "Hamburger Hill", and the actions there are widely criticized in the U.S. The battle is one of the last major actions of its type in the war. -
Nixon begins withdrawl
Nixon begins taking troops out of vietnam. By 1969 end of the year they took 470,000 troops out.
