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Ho Chi Minh and the creation of the Viet Minh
Ho Chi Minh was a communist ruler/revolutionist that wanted to take over Vietnam so they could be free. Anyone in French-Indo-China was impacted by this, the French, and the Vietnamese. The US was worried about a new communist leader taking over Asia. -
The First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was a conflict between France and Viet Minh. It led to a war of independence for Vietnam so anyone who lived there was impacted by this. It also caused the US to involve themselves in fear of communism spreading throughout more of Asia. -
America Aids France
In 1950, the US helped aid France in the war by sending them advisors, military equipment, and almost $3 billion before 1954. The people affected by it were those living in French-Indo-China, the US, and France. -
The Domino Theory
The Domino Theory is a theory that started during the Cold War and continued to impact the US through the Vietnam War. It states that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall, like a row of dominoes. The Domino Theory could affect the whole world, and it increased tensions between the US and USSR by using fear of communism. -
The Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords were a series of agreements that ended the First Indochina War, which was fought in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. They made a temporary division of Vietnam at the 17th parallel. Those affected were people in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and others that were fighting in those countries. It increased tensions because there was now an obvious divide in Vietnam from the spread of communism. -
Use of Agent Orange
Agent Orange was a new weapon, used by the US starting in January 1962. Agent Orange was used to destroy crops and vegetation so the US could use bombs better. Unfortunately, Agent Orange had a cancer causing toxin and that created a lot of health problems which also increased tensions. Agent Orange affected those who were on the ground while it was used. -
Diệm’s assassination
Ngô Đình Diệm was the former president of South Vietnam before being assassinated by South Vietnamese military on November 2nd 1963. His assassination affected people living in Vietnam, and more specifically, South Vietnam. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident a series of naval confrontations that escalated US involvement in the Vietnam War. The first incident happened when the USS Maddox was patrolling The Gulf of Tonkin and reported being attacked by the North Vietnamese. It affected everyone living in Vietnam, and the US. It increased tension by escalating our involvement in Vietnam. -
The Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a series of attacks by North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong against South Vietnamese and US forces during the Vietnamese New Year in January 1968. Those living in all of Vietnam, and US troops, were affected by these attacks. It increased tension between the US and Vietnam because US troops were harmed during this attack. -
The My Lai massacre
The My Lai massacre was a US war crime committed on 16 March 1968, involving the mass murder of unarmed civilians in Sơn Mỹ village, and Quảng Ngãi province in South Vietnam. It affected people in those specific places, people in South Vietnam, and the US. It increased tensions because it was a US attack on Vietnam. -
US troop withdrawals and Vietnamization
The withdrawal of US troops and Vietnamization started in June of 1969. Vietnamization was a policy designed by Nixon to gradually withdrawal US troops and increase South Vietnams military in the war. The people impacted were US troops, Vietnam, and the US. This event did not increase tensions, but decreased them. -
The War Powers Act
The War Powers Act is a law designed to limit the president's ability to send US military forces to armed conflict without the consent of Congress first. The people that were impacted by the act were the US president, the US congress, and US troops. The act did not increase tensions between the US and USSR. -
The fall of Saigon
Saigon was the capital of South Vietnam, and fell on April 29, 1975. It marked the end of the Vietnam War when the northern forces captured the southern capital. Those affected were everyone in Vietnam, and everyone in the US since the war was finally over. Again, this did not increase tensions but instead decreased them.