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John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States
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John F. Kennedy approves the Countersurgency Plan for Vietnam that offered money to increase the size of the Army and Cicvil Guard in exchange for Ngo Dinh Diem broadening his government, agreeing on a national strategy to defeat the Viet Cong.
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President Kennedy tells the American public "The security of all Southeast Asia will be endangered if Laos loses its neutral independence."
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Cuban exiles are defeated at the Bay of Pigs by Castro's army. The U.S. Navy rescues 26 members of the Brigade, the rest are captured or killed.
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U.S. Vice President Lyndon Johnson visits South Vietnam proclaiming strong support for Diem. Known as the 'Winston Churchill of Asia'.
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VP Johnson returns to the U.S. to report back to Kennedy that the U.S. must either help the countries of Southest Asia or pull back it's defenses.
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Following the meeting between South Vietnam's President Diem and Kennedy, the U.S. agrees to increase the number of American advisors in Vietnam from 340 to 805. This commitment shows Kennedy's efforts in Vietnam.
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On the sixth anniversary of the Republic of South Vietnam, President Kennedy sends a letter to President Diem and pledges "the United States is determined to help Vietnam preserve its independence..."
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President John F. Kennedy ordered more help for the South Vietnamese government in its war against the Vietcong guerrillas. U.S. backing includes new equipment and more than 3,000 military advisors and support personnel.
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An American serviceman dies in Vietnam being the first combat death reported. This death marks the beginning of the Vietnam War.
