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The US identifies Viet Minh as a communist threat
The US sets up military assistance in France against the Viet Mihn -
Eisenhower Speech
Eisenhower explains that the downfall of French Indochina to communism will create a "domino effect" in Southeast Asia. https://www.npr.org/2011/01/17/132942244/ikes-warning-of-military-expansion-50-years-later -
Geneva Accords Establish 17th Parallel
This parallel separates North and South Vietnam. The Geneva accords also confirm to having an election in two years to choose a signal democratic leader. http://www.flavorofindialongmont.com/vietnam-map-17th-parallel.html -
Emerging of Leaders in North and South Vietnam
Catholic nationalist Ngo Dinh Diem is the leader of South Vietnam, with U.S. support, while Ho Chi Minh leads the North communist state. -
Kennedy Sends Helicopters
President John F. Kennedy sends helicopters and 400 Green Berets to South Vietnam for support and authorizes secret operations against the Viet Cong. (Vietnamese communists) -
Buddhist Crisis
The major incident, which is later known as the “Buddhist Crisis,” the government of Ngo Dinh Diem opens fire on a crowd and kills eight Buddhist protestors in the central Vietnam city of Hue, including children. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDMuko5_5OE -
Soviet Politbuo supports and China sent troops
Soviets sent artillery, radar, defense systems, aircraft, and more. While China sent engineering troops to help build North Vietnams defense infastructure. -
Gulf of Tonkin Dispute
USS Maddox is supposedly attacked by North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin (the attack is later debated), which leads President Johnson to call for air strikes on North Vietnamese patrol boat bases. Two U.S. aircraft are shot down and pilot, Everett Alvarez Jr., is the first man held captive by north vietnemesse communists -
Battle of la Drang Valley
300 Americans are killed and several injured during this full-larger scale battle. Both North and South Vietnam declare victory. http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2015/11/the-50th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-ia-drang-valley-vietnam/ -
President Johnson calls for more Troops
President Johnson demands 50,000 more ground troops to be sent to Vietnam and increases the draft to 35,000 each month. The draft is a suppodly "random" way of enlisting men into the military. -
500,000 US troops in Vietnam
The number of US troops have increased from 400,000 in 1966 to 500,000 in 1967 stationed in Vietnam. -
Vietnam War Protests in America
American people are protesting about US involvement in the war in New York, Washington DC, and San Francisco. https://washingtonmonthly.com/2017/01/11/when-resisting-means-risking/ -
Battle of Dak To
In the Battle, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces resist an offense by communist forces in the Central Highlands. The United States forces suffer about 1,800 american casualties. -
Tet Offensive
There was a combined assault of Viet Minh and North Vietnamese armies, in 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam.The bloody attacks shock US officials and the US slowly starts withdrawing from the region. This was a turning point. https://www.npr.org/2018/01/29/580811124/military-victory-but-political-defeat-the-tet-offensive-50-years-later -
Richard Nixon Elected President
Richard Nixon is elected and promises to 'restore law and order' by getting rid of the draft. https://www.nixonfoundation.org/exhibit/nixons-comeback/ -
Massacre at Mai Lai
500 civilians are murdered by US soldiers as an attempt to search and destroy enemy territories, then retreat. -
"Operation Menu"
U.S. B-52 bombers target suspected there were communist base camps and supply zones in Cambodia when they were secretly bombing, known as "operation menu". The bombings were kept hush by Nixon and his administration since Cambodia was officially neutral in the war, although The New York Times would reveal the operation on May 9, 1969. -
Pentagon Papers
The "New York Times" published leaked defense documents, revealing that the US government had repeatedly and secretly increased US involvement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_Papers -
End Draft
The Selective Service announces to end the draft and institutes an all-volunteer military. -
End to US military involvement
President Ford rules out all US military involvement in the war. https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/burst-joy/ -
North and South Vietnam
North and South Vietnam are now formally unified as the "Socialist Republic of Vietnam" under the hardline communist rule.
