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Battle of Dienbienphu
40,000 heavily armed Vietminh lay seige to the French garrison at Dienbienphu. Using Chinese artillery to shell the airstrip, the Vietminh make it impossible for French supplies to arrive by air. It soon becomes clear that the French have met their match.http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htm -
Diem Becomes President of Republic of Vietnam.
Diem defeats Bao Dai in close exciting election and proclaims himself President of Republic of Vietnam. Diem dose not accept the terms of the Geneva accords. -
US Training South Vietnamese
The US Military Assistance Advisor Group assumes responsibility from French for training South Vietnamese forces. This is after the French leave Vietnam. -
Geneva Conference
Created the Geneva Accords which temporarily divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel with Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh in control of North Vietnam. With a pro-Western group in charge of the South. Recognized Cambodia’s independence. -
Terrost bombings
In Rock Saigon thirteen Americans working for MAAG and US Information Service are wounded in terrorist bombings in Saigon. Vietnamese bombers felt that there way of life was in danger. -
Weapons Moving Along Ho Chi Minh Trail
North Vietnam begins infiltrating weapons into South Vietnam on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Trail will become a strategic target for future military attacks, for it holds the best way to get weapons into South Vietnam. -
Us Military Deploys Agent Orange
In order to hurt the Ability of the enemy to hide in the vegetation the US deployed Agent Organge. Agent Organge killed vegetation exposing rodes and hiding enemys. Caused many health problems for civilians. -
Overthrow of Diem
With approval of the United States Special Forces inside the South Vietnamese military overthrow Diem. He and his brother Nhu are shot and killed in the aftermath. -
Gulf of Tonkin Attack
Three North Vietnamese PT boats allegedly fire torpedoes at the USS Maddox about thirty miles off the coast of North Vietnam. The attack comes after six months of US and South Vietnamese naval operations. -
Tonkin Resolution
A resolution that authorized the president to take all necessary measures to protect the forces of the United States, and prevent any more violence. This was a resolution to the torpedoing of American ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Johnson shifted his strategy to a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam. That month the president also sent the first batch of troops into vietnam. -
B52's Bomb Nort Vietnam
In an effort to slow down movement along the Mugia Pass the main route used by the NVA. American B52s bomb North Vietnam for the first time. -
Veterans host anti war rally
Veterans from World Wars I and II along with veterans from the Korean war hold a protest rally in New York City. They burn papers that sent people to war in protest of US involvement in Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive
Vietcong and North Vietnamese launched a surprise attack. Guerrilla fighters attacked all American airbases in South Vietnam and most of the South’s major cities. It was a failure but made people realize how easily it was for communists to launch an attack. -
US withdrawal of troops
Nixon announced the withdrawal of 25,000 troops. It was known as Vietnamization, which involved the U.S. slowly cutting back on their number of troops while South Vietnam continued their fighting. -
Vietnamization
Slowly withdrawing troops while South Vietnam takes over the fighting. -
Kent State
At Kent State University Ohio National Guard soldiers, armed with tear gas and rifles, fired on demonstrators without an order to do so. Killing four students and wounding 9 plus others. -
26th Amendment
Lowered the legal voting age to 18. So that men being sent to war could also vote for whom was sending them to war. -
War powers Act
Required the president to inform congress of any deployment of troops within 48 hours. and to withdraw them in 60 to 90 days unless Congress explicitly approved the deployment. -
South Vietnam Surrender
After beating the last major resistance. The north got in position for the final attack on the presidential palace. When they crashed tanks through the gates and got ready to attack the newly appointed leader Tran Van Huong offered a surrender and the north accepted it.
