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Eisenhower's speech (Homefront)
Following the fall of Indochina to communism, Eisenhower describes that this could lead to a domino effect in South East Asia. This domino effect would heavily influence the ideology of the United States for the next decade. -
Geneva Accords (Political Events)
The Geneva Accords establish North and South Vietnam with the 17th parallel as the dividing line. The agreement also agrees to an election to bring both sides of Vietnam under one democracy in two years. These elections never happen. -
First U.S. soldiers killed (Homefront)
The first U.S. soldiers are killed in South Vietnam, raising concerns and anger back in the United States and this would serve as an early sign of war. -
Vietcong established (Vietcong)
The National Liberation Front (NLF) is formed with North Vietnamese backing as the political wing of the anti-government insurgency in South Vietnam. The United States adopts this name into what they now call the "Vietcong". -
President JFK takes action (Major Military Operations)
President John F. Kennedy sends helicopters and around 400 Green Berets to Vietnam and also, authorizes secret operations against the Vietcong, kicking off early signs of war. -
Buddhist Crisis (Political Event)
The government led by Ngo Dinh Diem fires on a crowd of Buddhist protesters, brutally murdering eight people. -
Ngo Dinh Diem falls (Political Events)
With the United states' support, the southern Vietnamese stage a coup de etat, over throwing Ngo Dinh Diem and killing his regime. This leads to instability as more than ten different governments cycle through power in around two years. -
JFK assassinated (Home front)
President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Lyndon B. Johnson became president of the United States. -
Gulf of Token Incident (Major Military Operations)
USS Maddox is allegedly attacked by North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. The U.S. retaliates and North Vietname take U.S. prisoners. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Homefront)
Authorizes the president to “take all necessary measures, including the use of armed force” against any aggressor in the conflict, giving tremendous power to the presidency. -
Operation Rolling Thunder (Major Military Operations)
President Johnson launches Operation Rolling thunder; a three-year sustained bombing campaign in North Vietnam. With this operation, the first U.S. marines step foot onto Vietnam soil. -
Tet Offensive (Homefront)
encompassing a combined assault of Viet Minh and North Vietnamese armies. Attacks are carried out in more than 100 cities and outposts across South Vietnam, including Hue and Saigon, and the U.S. Embassy is invaded. This shocked both the public and the government officials of the United States, beginning the gradual withdrawal from Vietnam. -
The Draft (Homefront)
The draft from WWII was reinstituted making the army 2/3rds volunteer and 1/3rd was drafted. This gave heavy backlash as being forced into war by the "lottery system" was seen as very negative by the public. -
The Pentagon Papers (Homefront)
Four thousand pages of secret documents about the war were released into the public and exposed ll presidential campaigns since Truman has lied about the Vietnam war. This gave a shock to the public and caused outrage and distrust towards the American Government. -
War Powers Act (Homefront)
Congress passed this Act stating that the President may not deploy troops for more than 60 days without Congressional approval. Nixon vetos this although he was overruled by Congress. Showing now the distrust even within the government. -
The fall of Saigon (Political Events)
The capital of South Vietnam is seized by communist forces and the government of South Vietnam surrenders. U.S. Marine and Air Force helicopters transport more than 1,000 American civilians and nearly 7,000 South Vietnamese refugees out of Saigon in an 18-hour mass evacuation effort. As a result, North and South Vietnam are formally unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under hardline communist rule.