Vietnam War Timeline

By saul8426

  • End of Indochina War

    Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces defeat the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, effectively ending the 7 ½-year Indochina War.

  • Vietnam Divided

    At a conference in Geneva, world powers agree to a divided Vietnam.

  • Viet Cong

    Southern revolutionaries, backed by the North Vietnamese Communist Party, form the National Liberation Front, known in Saigon and Washington as the Viet Cong.

  • Diem Murdered

    President Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu are murdered during a coup by dissident generals of the South Vietnamese army.

  • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

    Two supposed incidents in the Gulf of Tonkin lead Johnson to seek congressional approval for direct U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

  • North Vietnamese Pressure

    During a series of “border battles” in the remote locations of Dak To, Con Thien and Khe Sanh, U.S. Army and Marines face relentless onslaughts from North Vietnamese.

  • Tet Offensive

    During the Tet Offensive, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launch surprise attacks against targets throughout South Vietnam.

  • My Lai Massacre

    Over the course of four hours, American soldiers kill more than 500 unarmed civilians in and around the hamlet of My Lai.

  • Last Troop Leaves

    Last U.S. combat troops leave South Vietnam.

  • Saigon Falls

    Saigon Falls