-
This was the conference where Vietnam temporarily split in two, along the 17th parallel. The South was led by Ngo Dinh Diem, and the North was led by Ho Chi Minh.
-
Kennedy took office and continued the support for South Vietnam.
-
Henry Lodge arrived in Vietnam. He learned about the Vietnamese military planning to overthrow Diem, he expressed his support and the generals overthrowed Diem. Shortly later Diem was executed.
-
When Kennedy was assassinated his Vice President, Johnson, had to take over. He didn’t want to make the war worst, but he also didn’t want communism to spread.
-
The Senate and House passed an Act saying the President can “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.”
-
US shifted policy to a sustained bombing campaign; in March the President also ordered the first combat troops into Vietnam.
-
Students and faculty at the University of Michigan skipped their classes and created a teach in. A teach in is where they discussed war issues and why they opposed war. In May 122 colleges hosted a national Teach in day, they had over 100,000 demonstrators.
-
These students organized a march on Washington DC. They march drew in over 20,000 protestors.
-
The first actual battle of the Vietnam war. The American forces collide with North Vietnamese forces in the Ia Drang Valley.
-
Vietcong and North Vietnam launched a surprise guerrilla attack on American air bases and Major cities in South Vietnam. The communist forces seized most of the citie, Hue, and it took South Vietnam 4 weeks to drive them out. It was a very bloody battle, with over 3,000 casualties.
-
An American Platoon had massacred more than 200 unarmed South Vietnamese citizens in the Hamlet of My Lai. This wasn’t revealed to the public until November, 1969.
-
The Country had separated itself into two groups, the doves, against the war, and the hawks, who supported the war. The nation suffered hard for the lack of unity.
-
The Republican Richard Nixon was elected because of his plan to end the war. Nixon had a wide lead in this presidential race.
-
The gradual withdrawal of US troops, while South Vietnam takes over more fighting.
-
Nixon declared he was withdrawing troops from Vietnam. He withdrew 25,000 troops.
-
In Ohio, National Guard Soldiers, fired on demonstrators without order. There were 4 casualties and at least 9 injured.
-
Congress was furious that the President hadn’t informed them of US action’s in the war, so they repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
-
Gave all citizens above 18 the right to vote.
-
This act required the President to inform Congress of troops abroad within a 48 hr period, and withdraw them within a 60- 90 day period, unless Congress says otherwise.
-
South Vietnamese president Duong Van Minh delivers a surrender to the North. The North accepts the surrender and the South falls to communism.
