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The War Begins
The French declared war upon the Vietnamese in order to stop the rapid growth of communism through out the country. -
The Ho Chi Minh Trail was created
North Vietnam is tired of being attacked whilst trying to supply Laos and Cambodia, so they create a trail that becomes known as The Ho Chi Minh Trail. -
Ho Chi Minh was replaced by Le Duan
Ho Chi Minh's health is becoming extremely bad. Le Duan is chosen to lead whilst Ho Chi Minh is pushed to the side where he hopes to recover. -
The USS Maddox is allegedly attacked
The USS Maddox is attacked by North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. President Johnson orders two aircrafts to shoot those boats but they were shot down and the first american hostage Everett Alvarez, Jr. was taken. -
More troops equals more deaths
President Johnson calls for 50,000 more troops to be sent into Vietnam, raising the monthly draft to 35,000. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
President Johnson launches operation rolling thunder on The Ho Chi Minh Trail and sustained targets in North Vietnam. -
US stops bombing
President Johnson stops all bombing in Vietnam north of the 20th parallel. Facing backlash from the war he decides not to run for reelection. -
The Tet Offensive begins
Viet Minh and North Vietnamese armies combine to fight against the upcoming problems. The US embassy is over ran and destroyed along with hundreds of South Vietnamese cities. -
Ho Chi Minh dies
Ho Chi Minh could not recover from his illness resulting in his death due to a massive heart attack. -
Secret negotiations
U.S. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger begins secret peace negotiations with Hanoi politburo member Le Duc Tho in Paris. -
Reducing our draft numbers
President Johnson lowers the U.S. troops in Vietnam from a peak of 549,000 in 1969 to 69,000 in 1972. -
The War Ends
By the end of the war, more than 58,000 Americans lose their lives. Vietnam would later release estimates that 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters were killed, up to 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died and more than 2 million civilians were killed on both sides of the war.
