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Period: to
Vietnam War
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French defeated at Dien Bien Phu
After the United States pledges $15 million worth of military aid to France to help them fight in Vietnam, the French suffer a decisive defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The baattle lasted 55 days, 3,000 French troops died and 8,000 were wounded. -
Election of Ngo Dinh Diem
After the election, Ngo Dinh Diem became president and South Vietnam declared itself the Republic of Vietnam. -
NLF
the National Liberation Front, (NLF) was established in South Vietnam. The Vietnamese political organization formed formed on December 20, 1960, to effect the overthrow of the South Vietnamese government and the reunification of North and South Vietnamese. -
Golf of Tonkin Resolution
North Vietnamese attack two U.S. destroyers sitting in the international waters. (The Golf of Tonkin Incident) then in response to the Gulf Incident, the U.S. Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolustion. This gives president Johnson the power to take whatever actions he sees necessary to defend Southeast Asia. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
On March 2, a sustained U.S. ariel bombing campaign of North Vietnam begins. (Operation Rolling Thunder) Then, shortly after on March 8, the first U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive Attacking
The North Vietnamese join forces with the Viet Cong to launch the Tet Offensive attacking. On the Tet holiday, vietcong units surge into action over South Vietnam. By the end of the city battles 37,000 vietcong troops deployed for Tet have been killed. This included most of Vietcong's best fighters, politicals officers and secret offenders. -
Mai Lai
U.S. soldiers kill hundreds of Vietnamese civillians in the town of Mai Lai. Later, the American public learns of the Mai Lai Massacre. -
Troops in Vietnamese
U.S. troops in Vietnamese reaaches 540,000. -
Troops Withdraw
President Nixon orders the first of many U.S. troops withdraw from Vietnam. -
Cambodia Attack
President Nixon announces that U.S. troops will attack enemy locations in Cambodia. his news sparks nationwide protests, especially on college campusses. -
Pentagon Papers
The Petagon Papers are printed on the New York Times . -
Easter Offensive
The North Vietnamese cross the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the 17th parallel to attack South Vietnam in what became known as the Easter Offensive. Conventional Invasion of 300,000 Chinese volunteers had crossed a river to not win the war, but to gain territory and destroy as many units of the ARVN. (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) -
Vietnam Surrenders
North Vientam launches a massive assault on South Vietnam. Then after, South Vietnam surrenders to the communists. NVA offensenses sends 100,000 soldiers against major cities of Quang Tri, Hue and Da Nang. Backed by powerful armed forces, they quickly succeeded in capturing Quang Tri province. -
Ending War
At 4:03 in the morning, two U.S. marines are killed in a rocket attack. They are the last two Americans to die in the Vietnam War. Hours later, the embassy and North Vietnamese tanks role into Saigon, ending the war. -
Memorial Dedication
Vietnam is unified as a communists country, the Socialists Republic of Vietnam. Then later, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. is then dedicated.
