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Under the newly elected President Ngo Dinh Diem, South Vietnam declares itself the Republic of Vietnam.
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Viet Cong, formally known as the National Liberation Front, is established in South Vietnam.
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During a coup, South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem is executed.
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In an event known as the Guild of Tonkin Incident, North Vietnamese attack two U.S. destroyers sitting in international waters.
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The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is passed by U.S. congress in response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident.
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The U.S. sustained aerial bombing campaign of North Vietnam begins (Operation Rolling Thunder).
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The first official U.S. troops arrive in Vietnam.
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Official U.S. soldiers murder hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the town of Mai Lai.
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The Paris Peace Accords are signed, providing a cease-fire.
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The last of the official U.S. troops are wishdrawn from Vietnam.
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South Vietnam officially surrenders to the communist forces of North Vietnam.
