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Vietminh
Ho Chi Minh created the nationalst group, Vietminh. It combined Communists and non-Communists to try to overthrow the Japanese forces in Vietman. -
Free nation
The Japanese surrendered control on Indochina. Vietman was quickly declared an indepedent nation. Ho Chi Minh even wrote a Vietman Declaration of Independance. It was very similar to the United States' Declaration of Independence. -
Dien Bien Phu
The French tried to cut off the Vietnamese supply lines at the town of Dien Bien Phu. This would force the Vietnamese army into open battle. -
Victory!
The French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu. The defeat made the French make peace and withdrwl from Indochina. -
Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords split Vietman along the 17th parallel, with Ho Chi Minh in control of North Vietman, and a pro-Western regime in control of South Vietman. The Geneva Accords also recognized Cambodia's independence. -
US involvement
President Eisenhower supported Ngo Dinh Diem, South Vietman anti Communist leader. Eisenhower increased American military and economic aid to South Vietman, in hopes to help South Vietman if civil war broke out. -
Vietcong
The Vietcong was organized after Ngo Dinh Diem refused to hold national elections. Ho Chi Minh organized the Vietcong, and they used guerilla warfare. The Vietcong became more powerful as they assassinated governement officials, while climbing the government ladder of power. -
Overthrown
Ngo Diem Diem was overthrown and executed because he was so unpopular. He discriminated against Buddhists, yet he was Catholic. Henry Cabot Lodge, and his team, seized power after Diem was executed. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The House and Senate passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authoried the President to take all necessary measures to repel any attack against the US. This gave President Johnson full control of the army, and the avctions it took in Vietman. -
Attack of US
The Vietcong attacked US military bases in South Vietman. After President Johnson learned of the attack, he ordered American aircraft to assault North Vietman. -
War protests
In the United States, a Gallup poll was taken and published that showed the American citizens approved the policy in Vietman. Many Americans, though, were skeptical of this. Anti-war protests began to break out around the US. -
US involvement
After the attacks in South Vietman, President Johnson started Operation Rolling Thunder. The objective of this operation was the American troops would be fighting with the Vietnamese troops against the Vietcong. -
Teach-ins
Some Americans started teach-ins. They would discuss issues around the war, and reaffirm their beliefs for opposing it. -
Weapons
The Americans were tired of the Vietcong hiding in the thick jungle, so they sought to destroy the jungle. They used napalm and Agent Orange. Agent Orange was very effective because it stripped leaves from the trees, and left nothing there to hide behind. -
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was how North Vietnam sent supplies south. They used a network of jungles, and it wound through uninvolved countries, so President Johhnson could not attack the trail. -
Death toll
By this point in the war, 6,700 soldiers had been killed in action.The numbers continued to rise, and support of the war continued to decline. -
Lincoln Memorial
The Students for a Democratic Society organized a march on Washington protesting the war. They had more than 20,000 participants. -
Tet
During the Vietnamese New Year, the Vietcong and North Vietnamese armies launched a surprise attack. The Vietcong attacked almost every US base, and major South Vietnam city. -
Troops
President Nixon demanded for the withdrawl of 25,000 troops from Vietnam. Nixon was going to end the war. -
Kissinger
Henry Kissinger began negoitations with China and the Soviet Union since they were allied with North Vietman. He was trying to persuade them to cut off supplies to North Vietnam. -
Massacre
Lt. Wiliam Calley massacred more than 200 South Vietnamese men, women, and children. This tookm place in My Lai. -
Cambodia
The US troops invaded Cambodia to destroy Vietcong miliatry bases. This set off many protests in the US. -
Kent State
As a result of invading Cambodia, protestors broke out in Kent Sate. The National Guard was called in, and 4 students were killed, and 9 were injured. -
End of the war
The US gave in and let the North Vietnamese stay in South Vietnam. They signed the papers ending the war. -
Saigon
The Noth Vietnamese captured Saigon, and united the country under Commusinst rule. THE WAR IS OVER!!!
