Vietnam War: 1960-1975 By natalyafaith May 4, 1960 The U.S. more than doubles its military advisors in Vietnam May 1, 1961 President John F. Kennedy sends helicopters and 400 Green Berets to South Vietnam May 11, 1961 Lyndon Johnson visits South Vietnam Feb 27, 1962 Ngo Dinh Diem’s presidential palace in Saigon is bombed Oct 11, 1963 Kennedy signs National Security Action Memorandum 263 Feb 1, 1965 President Johnson orders the bombing of targets in North Vietnam in Operation Flaming Dart Mar 1, 1965 President Johnson launches a three-year campaign of sustained bombing of targets in Operation Rolling Thunder Jun 1, 1966 American aircraft attack targets in Hanoi and Haiphong Apr 1, 1967 Huge Vietnam War protests occur in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. 1968 The Tet Offensive begins 1969 Ho Chi Minh dies of a heart attack 1970 Henry Kissinger begins secret peace negotiations with Hanoi politburo member Le Duc Tho in Paris 1971 The New York Times publishes a series of articles detailing leaked Defense Department documents about the war 1972 President Nixon orders the launch of the most intense air offense of the war in Operation Linebacker Jan 27, 1973 The Selective Service announces the end to the draft and institutes an all-volunteer military
