Vietnam War Timeline

Vietnam

1950 U.S fights in Korea Grants military aid to France to fight Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam

1954 Eisenhower coins “domino theory” French defeated at Dienbienphu Geneva Accords – Vietnam partitioned U.S. begins aid to South Vietnam

1962 12,000 American advisors in South Vietnam

1963 Anti-government demonstrations by Buddhists Diem government overthrown in coup – Diem killed Kennedy assassinated

1964 Tonkin Gulf incident – U.S. retaliates (USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy)

1964 (continued) Tonkin Gulf Resolution “take all necessary measures to repel any attack against forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.” 23,300 American advisors in South Vietnam

1965 Marine combat troops land to protect airbase at DaNang 200,000 troops by year’s end

1966 U.S. uses chemical defoliants (Agent Orange) Troop strength grows to 400,000

1967 Anti-war protests intensify Troop strength at 500,000

1968 Battle of Khe Sanh Tet Offensive Major offensive by Vietcong/NVA “light at the end of the tunnel” totally discredited

1968 (continued) Eugene McCarthy nearly defeats President Johnson in New Hampshire primary election Robert Kennedy announces candidacy President Johnson announces he will not seek reelection

1968 (continued) Martin Luther King assassinated Robert Kennedy assassinated

1968 (continued) Peace talks begin in Paris Richard Nixon elected in close election Troop strength at 540,000

1969 Paris peace talks expand Nixon orders secret bombing of Cambodia Nixon announces withdrawal of 25,000 troops Policy of “Vietnamization” begins Ho Chi Minh dies

1969 (continued) Congress begins opposition to war Nationwide “moratorium” My Lai massacre revealed Draft Lottery instituted

1970 National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger begins secret negotiations with Le Duc Tho Another 150,000 troops withdrawn by years end Troop strength falls to 280,000

1970 (continued) U.S. troops attack sanctuaries in Cambodia Kent State demonstration – 4 students killed

1971 “Pentagon Papers” published in the New York Times Nixon forms the “plumbers” unit Troop strength falls to 139,000

1972 Nixon announces peace proposal negotiated by Kissinger and Le Duc Tho North Vietnam launches massive offensive across the DMZ Nixon resumes bombing of the North U.S. mines Haiphong harbor

1972 (continued) Five men arrested breaking into the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate complex Kissinger announces “breakthrough” in peace talks Nixon reelected in a landslide

1972 (continued) Kissinger talks breakdown – Le Duc Tho walks out U.S. resumes bombing – “Christmas Bombing” Communists agree to resume talks

1973 January 27 – Cease-fire agreement signed March 29 – last American ground troops leave Vietnam April 1 – All U.S. POWs released

1974 Nixon resigns

1975 North Vietnam resumes war against South South Vietnam collapses Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City

1976 President Carter pardons 10,000 men who evaded the draft

1982 Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated in Washington, DC Contains names of over 58,000 American dead