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The War Starts
South Vietnam did not want to be a communist country. We joined because we did not communism to start spreading. -
Dropping Of Agent Orange
The United States drops the first use of Agent Orange. This is a type of bomb that explodes on impact with a burst of flame. -
Monk Sets Himself On Fire
Buddhist monk set himself on fire to protest the Diem governement. This is one of the most remember part of protesting against Diem and the government. -
Diem Is Overthrown
South Vietnam president Diem was overthrown. He is also later killed. -
Geneva Conference
Was a meeting where they were trying to decide to divide Vietnam into 2 sides. The conference temporarily divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel with Ho Chi Minh in control of the North and a Pro-Western regime in control of the South. -
US Sends More Troops To Vietnam
The United States sends 5,000 more troops to Vietnam. They later send a great amount of soldiers to help. -
US Aircraft Attack Vietnam
The United States attack Vietnam through the air. F-8 Crusader A-4 Skyhawks and Skyraiders take part in the attack. -
US Senate Approves Tonkin Gulf Resolution
The United States Senate approves the Tonkin Gulf Resolution authorizing the President to take all necessary measures to repel attacks against US forces and to prevent further aggression in the area. This means the president can do whatever he wants that happens with the war, making this the first time this have ever happened. -
American Helicopter Base Is Attacked
Vietcong troops attack a US heli base. The bombing killed 8 and wounded 126 more. -
Rolling Thunder
Rolling Thunder Bombings
Over 100 US planes and 60 South Vietnamese planes bomb North Vietnam. This continued for around 3 years. -
US Soldiers Arrive In Vietnam
The first helicopters arrive in Vietnam, containing around 400 soldiers. More were later taken over by more helicopters. -
Operation Starlight
About 5,500 US troops attack a Vietcong base and successfully capture it. The US lose 45 men and the Vietcong death total was estimated around 665 men. -
The Rolling Thunder Bombing Halt
The United States stops bombing North Vietnam. After no peace has been made, the bombing starts again 37 days later. -
Tet Offensive
Military campaign launched by the Peoples army of Vietnam. There main goal was to surprise attack. -
My Lai Massacre
A unit of Charlie Company 1st Battalion 20th Infantry slaughter between 200 and 500 unarmed villagers in the hamlet of My Lai. The platoon wass ordered to enter the village firing. -
President Nixon Begins Withdrawl
Nixon starts removing troops from Vietnam. By the end of the year, the troop total is down to 469,000. -
Vietnamization
The gradual withdrawl of US troops while South Vietnam assumed most of the fighting. Nixon refused to view this troop withdrawl as a form of surrender. -
Kent State
Ohio National Gaurd soldiers armed with rifles and tear gas, fired on demonstraters without an order to do so. The soldiers killed 4 studeds and wounded at least 9 more. Ten days later police killed 2 African American students during a demonstration at Jackson State College in Mississippi. -
26th Amendment
Giving all citizens ages 18 and older the right to vote in all state and ferderal elections. -
War Powers Act
Congress passed this law as a way to reestablish some limits on executive power. The act required the president to inform Congress of any commitment of troops abroad within 48 hours and withdraw them in 60 to 90 days unless Congress explicitly approved the troop commitment. -
South Vietnam Surrenders
The North took over the city of Saigon. By April 27 the North Vietnamese completely took over Saigon. The North easily took over the city and they got a surrender from the South
