Vietnam+war+timeline


 * 1959 |||| [|Timeline for JUST vietnam war]

Major Dale R. Buis and Master Sargeant Chester M. Ovnand become the first Americans to die in the Vietnam War during the guerilla strike at Bienhoa ||  || || ** 1960 ** || Vietcong Formed (National Liberation Front for South Vietnam)

|| ** 1961 ** || Vice President Johnson Tours Saigon
 * Called Viet Cong as a shorter version of Vietnamese Communist ||

Vice President Jhonson || || ** 1962 ** || Operation Chopper: America's first combat missions against the Vietcong. Operation Ranchhand: Objective to clear vegetation making it difficult for the Vietcong to ambush. US Military then Employs Agent Orange to expose roads and trails used by Vietcong forces

Chemical agent orange dropping on cities:

|| || ** 1963 ** || Battle of Ap Bac where the Vietcong defeat the South Vietnamese Army

President Kennedy Assassinated in Dallas and Lyndon B Johnson takes over the Presidency Buddhist monks start setting themselves on fire in public places to protest



against the Diem government policy of removing Buddhists from key government

positions and replacing them with Catholics.

Diem and his brother are murdered. The Diem regime is overthrown || || ** 1964 ** || General Nguyen Khanh Seizes Power in Saigon 3 North Vietnamese PT boats allegedly fire torpedoes at the USS Maddox named the Gulf of Tonkin Incident

Following the Gulf of Tonkin Incident Congress authorizes President Johnson to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression." The US wages total war against North Vietnam || || ** 1965 ** || Over 200,000 US troops are sent to Vietnam

February: Bombing raids on North Vietnam commence referred to as 'Operation Rolling Thunder'. The air raids continue for three years

9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade arrive in Vietnam

Battle of Ia Drang Valley

Students at American Universities start to strongly protest against the US policy in Vietnam || || ** 1966 ** || B-52s Bomb North Vietnam President Johnson meets with South Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Cao Ky and his military advisors in Honolulu

American protests against the US policy in Vietnam continue and students are joined by veterans in Anti-War Rallies || || ** 1967 ** || Operation Cedar Falls The Iron Triangle of Vietcong tunnels is discovered

American protests against the US policy in Vietnam continue and Martin Luther King and others call for draft evasion The US Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara admits that the US bombing raids had failed to meet their objectives || || ** 1968 ** || The Tet Offensive: The Vietcong scores a psychological victory Battle for Hue: Mass graves found

My Lai village Massacre by US troops

Peace Talks take place in Paris between the North Vietnamese and the Americans President Johnson does not run for the presidency and Richard Nixon Elected President of the USA || || ** 1969 ** || Operation Breakfast: Nixon authorises the covert bombing of Cambodia in an attempt to destroy supply routes Melvin Laird the US Secretary of Defense discusses a diminishing role for the US military in Vietnam The death of Ho Chi Minh

The news coverage of the massacre of the My Lai village by US troops shocks America leading to numerous Antiwar Demonstrations || || ** 1970 ** || April : President Nixon extends Vietnam War to Cambodia Tragedy at Ohio: National Guardsmen open fire on protesting students at Kent State University



|| || ** 1971 ** || Publication of the Pentagon Papers || || ** 1972 ** || Pressure on Nixon increases to end the involvement of the US in Vietnam and secret peace talks are initiated. US forces apply pressure on North Vietnam by heavy bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong Henry Kissinger is optimistic about the peace talks despite Vietnam opposition || || ** 1973 ** || A cease-fire agreement is signed in Paris The end of the Draft is publicised All remaining US troops leave Vietnam

Henry Kissinger wins the Nobel Peace Prize

[|source for timeline] ||