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Vietnam Freedom
Allies defeated Japan in WWII, and forced them to surrender Indochina. Vietnam claimed freedom under Ho Chi Minh, but France still considered it theirs. -
French takeover
The French drove out the Viet Minh and set up a new government. The fighting worsened and they asked the US for help. -
Geneva Conference
The French forces in Vietnam were beginning to be badly beaten, so a peace agreement was signed between France and North Vietnam. France had to take it’s troops out of North Vietnam and they could choose their new government. -
Dien Bien Phu
The NVA annihilated the French forces at the large outpost Dien Bien Phu. The French were very embarrassed and quickly made a settlement with North Vietnam, effectively ending the first Indochina war. -
Operation Chopper
American helicopters dropped South Vietnamese paratroopers over a Vietcong stronghold 10 miles west of Saigon. The Vietcong were soundly defeated. -
Battle of Nam Dong
Over 800 Vietcong soldiers attacked a base of 300 South Vietnamese, 12 American Green Berets, and 1 Australian Military adviser. The Vietcong were repelled and eventually retreated into the jungle. The Captain Roger C. Donlon was given a Medal of Honor, the first in the Vietnam war. -
Tonkin Resolution
After two unprovoked attacks on American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin by Vietcong torpedo boats, President Johnson was basically given power to protect American troops by whatever means necessary. -
Vung Ro Bay
A military chopper discovered a North Vietnamese naval trawler camouflaged in trees and grass unloading supplies into South Vietnam. South Vietnamese Skyraiders sunk the ship and destroyed all the cargo. -
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Operation Rolling Thunder
A large scale bombing operation directed deteriorating the Vietcong morale. Did not really work all that well because the president was afraid of getting China involved. -
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Operation Starlite
5,500 US soldiers received information about the whereabouts of a VC unit. The US soldiers drove them out, and killed over 900 enemy soldiers. It was the first 100% US soldier battle. -
Battle of Long Tan
108 Australian soldiers were surrounded at Nui Dat, a small village in the province Phuoc Tuy, South Vietnam. With enemy forces estimated at around 2,500, the Aussies managed to repel them while only suffering 18 casualties. -
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Operation Cedar Falls
Over 30,000 American troops cleared a 115 square mile Vietcong stronghold (the iron triangle) only 30 miles north of Saigon. It worked, but decreased civilian support for the US. -
Tet Offensive
Over 70,000 Vietcong troops attacked over 100 South Vietnamese villages and outposts. Although they suffered heavy casualties, it was a major turning point in the war in favor of the Vietcong as they started slowly forcing the Americans and South Vietnamese troops further south. -
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Battle of Saigon
Part of the Tet offensive, Vietcong guerillas tried to take six major buildings in Saigon. It is considered a US victory, but it made US civilians even more wary of the war. -
Vietnamization
The US started training South Vietnamese soldiers to take the position of Americans so the US could end their involvement -
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US withdrawal of troops
Presidents Nixon and Ford began a process taking american troops out because of mass public protesting and heavy losses. -
Kent State
National Guardsmen who were on the campus on Kent State to control a student protest fired into a group of the student protesters, killing 4 and wounding 9. It triggered mass protests at colleges around the nation. -
26th Amendment
lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, which allowed millions of young people to participate in our country’s democracy. It was powered by college student’s protests around the country. -
War Powers Act
Gave the legislative branch more power over foreign affairs and took power away from the President. -
South Vietnam Surrender
Saigon is captured by the Vietcong, and a surrender is arranged the same day. The US promised to save South Vietnam if Saigon was captured, but they did not come to the rescue.
