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War Powers Act
The war powers act was put into play right after Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor. This act is for the President to notify congress to commit armed forces to action and forbids the armed forces to remian for more than 60 days. The president could send out troops to battle without the consent of congress. -
French Claims to Indochina
Aware that victory over the Japanese is near in May the Truman administration recognizes French claims to Indochina in part because of the U.S. need for French cooperation in Washington’s plans for the reconstruction of Europe following World War II. And the growing orientation toward containment as a political/military strategy against communism. -
US helps France in Vietnam
In May, the U.S. begins providing help to the French in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. In August the Pathet Lao communist party and guerrilla group is formed. Discussions among the five nations results in Washington’s dispatch of the Military Assistance Advisory Group to Vietnam. Eventually over 250 U.S. pilots assist the French in their war against the Viet Minh. -
Geneva Conference
Was a conference that was to attempet to find a way to settle outstanding issues that would possibly restore peace in Indochina. The Soviet Union, US, France, the UK, and the People republic of china were participents in the conference. The part of the conference on the Korean question ended without adopting any declarations or proposals. -
MAAG
Military assitance advisory group took over training South Vietnam forces. This was the beggining of the advisory force that will have thousands of troops. -
Start of the war
The Vietnam war was started because the South was not wanting to convert to communism like the North. The South didnt like the type of leadership that was going on. The US was willing to help defend the South and fight against the North. -
International Control Commission
On January 3, 1957 the International Control Commission declares that both North and South Vietnam had failed. to comply with the Geneva Agreements. -
Viet Minh Cadres
The communist elements of the Viet Minh cadres in the South begin to come under increased suffering as a result to Diem's ongoing campaign to consolidate power and eliminate potential threats. These Viet Minh elements begin to initiate underground activity and pressure Hanoi to help. In April a branch of Lao Dong is finally formed in the South. This is a result of the pressure from Viet Minh communists and the Chinese faction of the com -
JFK
JFK sent out 400 troops to South Vietnam to become advisers of the people. Both sides of this conflict the US and the Soviet and China's troops had both increased. Hanoi makes public a policy to liberate the South by force. -
Tonkin Resolution
This gave President Lyndon Johnson Premission to have troops in southeast Asia without formal declarition of war. This was including that there could be armed forces -
Operation Rolling Thunder
This was an air force that had been sent out to drop small bombs on vietnam. One of the objectives was to persuade North Vietnam to take cease its communist insurgency in South Vietnam without sending in troops. Another was to destroy Vietnams trasportation. -
Tet offensive
Tet offensive was a millitary system that had Viet cong troops. This was created by the North to fight against the South. They had launched 80,000 communist troop to fight 100 towns and cities. -
Vietnamization
It came up at a meeting of National Security on accident. Millitary comanders say that Vietnam is steadly improving. Vietnamization fit into the border detente policy of Nixon administration. -
Kent State
There was a shooting that had happened at the Kent Ohio University and students had been shot by members of the Ohio National Guard. They fired 67 shots and had killed 4 students at the University. They were shot because the students were protesting against the Cambodian Campaign. -
Invasion on Cambodia
On April 29 MACV announces the invasion of Cambodia by U.S. and ARVN forces to seek out North Vietnamese bases. The consequences of this initiate a general state of revolution and war in Cambodia which eventually results in the death of over 2 ½ million people at the hands of the Khmer Rouge under the direction of Pol Pot. -
26th Amendment
This amendment provides every US citizen the right to vote except for people that are under the age of 18. Abolition of privy purse paid to former rulers of princely states which were incorporated into the Indian Republic. -
US pulls troops out of the war
When the personal in Vietnam was up to 540,000 President Nixon decided to start pulling troop out of combat. By 1970 the personal had decreased to 350,000. One year later it dropped to 160,000 -
Gerald Ford takes office
In August Nixon resigns as a result of Watergate, and is replaced by Gerald Ford. Spiro Agnew, who had been vice president had earlier been forced to resign in 1973 in a corruption scandal. Ford immediately pardons Nixon for “any and all” crimes he may have committed while in office. -
South Vietnam Surrender
South Vietnam forces had collapsed under the rapid advancement of the North Vietnam. This started when the North had launched a major attack on the south.. The South Vietnamese forces held out against the attackers until they ran out of tactical air support and weapons, finally abandoning Xuan Loc to the communists on April 21. -
Forces take control of South Vietnam
In May the PAVN and local forces from the NLF establish control in South Vietnam. Saigon is placed under the control of a military management committee headed by the NLF. During May the U.S. becomes involved in the brief Mayaguez Affair with the Cambodians.
