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My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was an incident that occurred when American soldiers killed more than 500 unarmed South Vietnamese citizens in the village of My Lai. -
Henry Kissinger
Nixon appointed Henry Kissinger as special assistant for national security affairs. -
Withdraw soldiers
Nixon began Vietnamization. This process involved the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops while the South Vietnamese assumed more of the fighting. He announced the withdrawal of 25,000 soldiers -
Secret negotiations
Kissinger also entered into secret negotiations with North Vietnam’s representative, Le Duc Tho. -
My Lai Killings leaked
Americans learned that in the spring of 1968 an American platoon under the command of Lieutenant William Calley had massacred unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the hamlet of My Lai. -
People protest Cambodia invasion
On May 4, Ohio National Guard soldiers armed with tear gas and rifles fired on demonstrators at Kent State University, killing four students. Days later, police killed two student demonstrators at Jackson State College in Mississippi. -
Christmas Bombings
American B-52s dropped thousands of tons of bombs on North Vietnamese targets for 11 straight days. -
Ending the war
Then negotiations resumed. The warring sides signed an agreement “ending the war and restoring the peace in Vietnam.” The United States promised to withdraw its troops, and both sides agreed to exchange prisoners of war. -
Cambodia falls
Cambodia fell under the control of the Communist group the Khmer Rouge. -
Capital of Vietnam Renamed
On April 30, the North Vietnamese captured Saigon, South Vietnam’s capital. They then renamed the city Ho Chi Minh City.