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Domino Theory coined by Eisenhower
Description: Eisenhower suggested that the fall of French Indochina to communism would create a domino theory, allowing other countries in Asia to also fall victim to communism.
Significance: the domino theory scared many Americans into fearing the spread of communism, promoting containment and support for anti-communism wars.
Purpose: the theory was used by the Kennedy and Johnson administrations to justify increasing American involvement in the Vietnam War. -
Geneva Accords
Description: ten documents outlining military agreements, declarations from present parties, and plans for Vietnam elections. French troops withdraw and Vietnam would split at the 17th parallel.
Significance: Geneva Accords brought an end to the First Indochina War and marked the end of French influence in Southeast Asia. They established the ground works for the Vietnam War.
Purpose: The Geneva Accords were intended to secure peace in Vietnam but, instead, they only contributed to the war. -
Assassination of Diem
Description: Diem, the president of South Vietnam, was arrested and assassinated by General Dương Văn Minh in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Significance: The death of Diem caused celebration among many people in South Vietnam, but also lead to political chaos in the nation.
Purpose: Diem's government was unpopular due to mishandling the Vietcong and Buddhists, so he was murdered during a coup d'état by some of his generals and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Starts
Description: Documents that gave President Johnson full ability to participate in the Vietnam War without war declarations.
Significance: the resolution authorized Johnson to use any necessary measures to contain communism and promote security in southeast Asia while still protecting America from attacks. It launched America's full involvement in the war.
Purpose: It was passed by the U.S. Congress after an alleged attack on two U.S. naval destroyers stationed off the coast of Vietnam. -
LBJ ordered 1st troops to Vietnam
Description: President Lyndon B. Johnson announces that he has ordered an increase in U.S. military forces in Vietnam, from the present 75,000 to 125,000. Also, the monthly draft calls would be raised from 17,000 to 35,000.
Significance: this decision to send more troops was regarded as a major turning point, as it effectively guaranteed U.S. military leaders a blank check to pursue the war.
Purpose: U.S. involvement in Vietnam increased as the fight to contain communism intensified. -
Tet Offensive Starts
Description: During the lunar new year, known as Tet, attacks were conducted by the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army on South Vietnam and the United States.
Significance: Americans underestimated the strength of Vietnamese communist forces, making the attack surprise them and weakening U.S. public support for the war in Vietnam.
Purpose: Ho Chi Minh planned the Tet Offensive to achieve a decisive victory that would end the conflict that frustrated military leaders on both sides. -
My Lai Massacre
Description: mass killing of 500 unarmed villagers by U.S. soldiers in Mỹ Lai on the orders of a "search and destroy" mission in the village.
Significance: the brutality and cover-up of the My Lai Massacre fueled anti-war sentiment and further divided the U.S.
Purpose: William Calley and the soldiers of Charlie Company were responsible for the My Lai Massacre, searching and destroying to boost the kill rate that would be reported to Washington as they attempted to find communist enemies. -
Nixon’s Vietnamization Policy
Description: Nixon announced a program to expand, equip, and train South Vietnamese forces and assign to them an increasing combat role, steadily reducing the number of U.S. combat troops.
Significance: the South Vietnamese army alone was not strong enough to resist North Vietnamese forces, and South Vietnam fell to the Communists.
Purpose: Nixon feared that the sudden removal of U.S. troops would lead to the collapse of South Vietnam and a black mark on American prestige. -
Nixon starts sending troops into Cambodia
Description: Nixon approved American forces in Cambodia to fight with South Vietnamese troops attacking communist bases there.
Significance: Congress felt Nixon was illegally widening the war, resulting in a series of congressional resolutions that would limit the power of the president.
Purpose: Nixon wanted to capture COSVN, the headquarters of the communist military in South Vietnam. He hoped that bombing routes in Cambodia would weaken North Vietnam and transport of troops and supplies. -
Kent State Shooting
Description: the killings of four and wounding of nine other unarmed Kent State University anti-war protesting students by the Ohio National Guard on May 4, 1970 in Kent, Ohio.
Significance: the event triggered a nationwide student strike that forced hundreds of colleges and universities to close, gathering support for anti-war and harming the Nixon administration image.
Purpose: violent anti-war protests at colleges created tension between police and students, causing an all-out fight. -
Hard Hat Riot
Description: in New York city, 400 construction workers and 800 office workers attacked 1,000 demonstrators from the student strike of 1970.
Significance: the tensions between pro-war and anti-war parties deepened the political divisions and violence in the U.S. concerning the Vietnam War.
Purpose: workers were fed up with violence by antiwar demonstrators, by those who spat at the American flag and desecrated it. Meanwhile, anti-war protesters grew more angry at Nixon's pro-war policies. -
Nixon’s Christmas Bombing Starts
Description: Nixon ordered bombing of North Vietnam, with American war planes dropping more than 20,000 tons of bombs on the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong around Christmas time.
Significance: the bombing forced the North Vietnamese to make concessions, accept an armistice, and release American POWs. It brought peace with honor.
Purpose: peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam collapsed. Infuriated, President Nixon ordered plans drawn up for retaliatory bombings of North Vietnam. -
Paris Peace Accords
Description: an agreement between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the United States to end to the Vietnam War. It included a cease-fire throughout Vietnam.
Significance: effectively removed the U.S. from the conflict in Vietnam, releasing American POWs. The agreement did not bring an end to the fighting in Vietnam.
Purpose: all sides wished to end the Vietnam War and prevent further loss. -
War Powers Act
Description: a resolution Congress passed meant to limit the U.S. president's ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad.
Significance: President's ability to send troops to hostile areas was limited. Presidents must notify Congress in 48 hours of sending troops into hostile areas without a war declaration.
Purpose: remembering the loss of the Vietnam War despite U.S. withdrawal, Congress ensured the president needed government approval before getting involved in another war. -
Saigon Falls
Description: the South Vietnamese capital, Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City) falls to People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong. The South Vietnamese forces had collapsed under the advancement of the North Vietnamese.
Significance: The fall of Saigon effectively ended the Vietnam War, becoming a symbol and proof of the war's futility.
Purpose: With U.S. forces having been removed, the South Vietnamese army was too weak to fight against the communist North Vietnam, causing them to fall.