|
1959 |
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 |
|
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
|
|
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 tp 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
|
