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Ho Chi Minh Creates Provisional Governent
Following the surrender of Japan to Allied forces Ho Chi Minh and his People's Congress Create the National Liberation Committee of Vietnam to form the provisional government. Japan then transfers all power to Ho's Vietminh.
Learn More:
http://www.historynet.com/ho-chi-minh-north-vietnam-leader.htm -
Period: to
Vietnam War
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Indochina War Begins
After months of steadily deteriorating relations, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam launches its first consorted attack against the French
Learn More:
http://www.coldwar.org/articles/40s/FirstIndochinaWar.asp -
Elysee Agreement Signed
Bao Dai and President Vincent Auriol of France sign the Elysee Agreement. As part of the agreement the French pledge to assist in the building of a national anti-communist army.
Learn More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ãlysée_Treaty -
U.S. Pledges $15M to Aid French
The United States sends $15 million dollars in military aid to the French for the war in Indochina. Military mission and military advisors were included in the aid package -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu Begins
A force of 40,000 heavily armed Vietminh lay seige to the French garrison at Dienbienphu. Using Chinese artillery to shell the airship, the Vietminh make it impossible for French supplies to arrive by air. It soon becomes clear that the French have met their match
Learn More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dien_Bien_Phu -
Diem Becomes President of Republic of Vietnam
Diem defeats Bao Dai in rigged election and proclaims himself President of Republic of Vietnam. He was the first Vietnamese President. The U.S. particularly supported Diem even though he was a stubborn anti-Communist.
Learn More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngo_Dinh_Diem -
Communist Insurgency into South Vietnam
Communist insurgent activity in South Vietnam begins. Guerrillas assassinate more than 400 South Vietnamese officals. Thirty-seven armed companies are organized along the Mekong Delta.
Learn More:
https://libcom.org/history/1957-1975-the-vietnam-war -
Weapons Moving Along Ho Chi Minh Trail
North Vietnam forms Group 559 to begin infiltrating cadres and weapons into South Vietnam via Ho Chi Minh Trails. The trail will become a strategic target for future military attacks. This trail was known to be established in late 1959.
Learn More:
http://nautilus.org/essentially-annihilated/essentially-annihilated-targeting-ho-chi-minh-trail/ -
Kennedy Elected President
John F. Kennedy narrowly defeats Richard Nixon for the Presidency.
Learn More:
http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Campaign-of-1960.aspx -
JFK and Ngo Dinh Diem Meet
Following a meeting between South Vietnam's President Diem and Kenndy, the United States agrees to increase the number of American advisors in Vietnam from 340 to 805. The commitment places the prestige of the Kennedy Administration behind efforts in Vietnam. -
U.S. Military Employs Agent Orange
U.S. Air Force begins using Agent Oramge. Which is a defoliant that came in metal orange containers to expose roads and trails used by Vietcong forces. This was a common name used for herbicides used by the U.S. military in the Vietnam War.
Learn More:
http://worldhistoryproject.org/1962/us-military-employs-agent-orange -
Buddhist Protest Against Diem
Tension between Buddhists and the Dien government are further strained as Diem, a Catholic, removes Buddhists from several key government positions and replaces them with Catholics. Buddhist monks protest Diem's intolerance for other religions and the measures he takes to silence them. In a show of protest, Buddhist monks start setting themselves on fire in public places.
Learn More:
http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/south-vietnamese-buddhists-initiate-fall-dictator-diem-1963 -
Debate on Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is approved by Congress on Auguest 7 and authorizes Oresident Lyndon Johnson to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression." The resolution passes unaimously in the House, and by a margin of 82-2 in the Senate. The Resolution allows Johnson to wage all out war against North Vietnam without every securing a formal Decleration of War from Congress.
Learn More:
http://www.history.com/this -
Heavy Fighting at Ia Drang Valley
The first conventional battle of the Vietnam war takes place as American forces clash with North Vietnamese units in the Ia Drang Valley. The U.S. 1st Air Cavalry Division employs its newly enhanced technique of aerial reconnaissance to finally defeat the NVA, although heavy casualties are reported on both sides.
Learn More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ia_Drang -
LBJ Meets with South Vietnamese Leader
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson meets with SOuth Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Cao Ky and his military advisors in Honolulu. Johnson promises to continue to help South Vietnam fend off agression fron the North, but adds that the U.S. will be monitoring South Vietnam's efforts to expand democracy and improve economic conditions for its citizens.
Learn More:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/johnson-meets-with-south-vietnamese-premier -
Operation Cedar Falls Begins
In a major ground war effort dubbed Operation Cedar Falls, about 16,000 U.S. and 14,000 South Vietnamese troops set out to destroy Vietcong operations and supply sites near Saigon. A massive system of tunnels is discovered in an area called the Iron Triangle, and apparent headquarters for Vietcong personnel.
Learn More:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-cedar-falls-is-launched -
Paris Peace Talks Begin
Following a lengthy period of debate and discussion, North Vietnamese and American negotiatiors agree on a location and start date of peace talks. Talks are slated to begin in Paris on May 10 with W. Averell Harriman representing the United States, and former Foreign Minister Cuan Thuy heading the North Vietnamese delegation.
Learn More:
http://www.studien-von-zeitfragen.net/Druckversion/Kissinger 1968.htm -
Richard Nixon Elected President
Running on a platform of "law and order," Richard Nixon barely beats out Hubert Humphrey for the presidency. Nixon takes just 43.4 percent of the popular vote, compared to 42.7 percent for Humphrey. Third-party candidate George Wallace takes the remaining percentage of votes.
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Nixon Begins Secret Bombing of Cambodia
In an effort to destroy Communist supply routes and base camps in Cambodia, President Nixon gives the go-ahead to "Operation Breakfast." The covert bombing of Cambodia, conducted without the knowledge of Congress or the American public, will continue for fourteen months.
Learn More:
http://rabble.ca/toolkit/on-this-day/us-secret-bombing-cambodia -
Kent State Incident
National Guardsmen open fire on a crowd of student antiwar protesters at Ohio's Kent State University, resulting in the death of four students and the wounding of eight others. President Nixon publicy deplores the actions of the Guardsmen. Several of the protesters had been hurling rocks and empty tear gas cainsters at the Guardsmen.
Learn More:
http://dept.kent.edu/sociology/lewis/lewihen.htm
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Pentagon PApers Published
A legacy of deception, concerning U.S. policy in Vietnam, on the part of the military and the executive branch is revealed as the New York Times publishes the Pentagon Papers. The Nixon administration, eager to stop leaks of what they consider sensitive information, appeals to the Supreme Court to halt the publication. The Court decides in favor the Times and allows continued publication.
Learn More:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/450326/Pentagon-Papers -
B-52s Bomb Hanoi and Haiphong
In an attempt to force North Vietnam to make concessions in the ongoing peace talks, the Nixon administration orders heavy bombing of supply dumps and petroleum storage sites in and around Hanoi and Haiphong. The administration makes it clear to the North Vietnamese that no section of Vietnam is off-limits to bombing raids.
Learn More:
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/b-52s-over-hanoi-40th-anniversary-of-operation-linebacker-ii.htm -
Hearings on Secret Bombings Begin
The senate Armes Services Committee opens hearing on the U.S. bombing of Cambodia. Allegations are made that the Nixon administration allowed bombing raids to be carried out during what was supposed to be a time when Cambodia's neutrality was offically recognized. As a result of the hearings, Congress orders that all bombing in Cambodia cease effective at midnight, August 14.
Learn More:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/senate-begins-investigations-into-secret-bombing-of-cambodia -
Communists Plan Major Offensive
With North Vietnamese forces in the South believed to be at their highest level ever, South Vietnamese leaders gird themselves for an expected Communist offensive of significant proportions.
Learn More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Spring_Offensive -
Last Americans Evacuate as Saigon Falls to Communists
South Vietnamese President Duong Van Minh delivers an unconditional surrender to the Communists in the early hours of April 30. North Vietnamese Colonel Bui accepts the surrender and assures Minh that, "Only the Americans have been beaten. If you are patriots, consider this a moment of joy." As the few remaining Americans evacuate Saigon, the last two U.S. sevicement to die in Vietnam are killed when their heliocopter crashes.
Learn More:
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/30/april-30-19 -
Pham Van Dong Heads Socialist Rebublic of Vietnam
As the National Assembly meets on July of 1976, the Socialist Rebublic of Vietnam names Pham Van Dong its prime minister. Van Dong and his fellow government leaders, all but one are former North Vietnamese officials, take up residence in the nation's new capital- Hanoi.
Learn More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph%E1%BA%A1m_V%C4%83n_%C4%90%E1%BB%93ng -
Jimmy Carter Elected U.S. President
Jimmy Carter took the lead with 297 electoral votes and 50.1% of the popular votes. Republicans Gerald Ford followed close behind in the popular vote by a differenf of 2.1% but only recience 240 electoral votes.
Learn More:
http://millercenter.org/president/carter/essays/biography/3 -
Vietnam Invades Cambodia
Determined to overthrow the government of Pol Pot, Vietnam invades Cambodia. Phnompenh, Cambodia's capital, falls quickly as Pol Pot and his Khlmer Rouge followers flee into the jungles.
Learn More:
http://www.historyandtheheadlines.abc-clio.com/ContentPages/ContentPage.aspx?entryId=1161938 -
China Invades Vietnam
Cinese artillery batteries and multiple rocket launchers opened fire all along the Vietnamese border with protracted barrages that shook the earth for miles around. The well-dug-in Vietnamese cut down the Chinese troops with machine guns, while mines and booby traps did the rest.
Learn More:
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2054325,00.html -
Ronald Reagan Elected U.S. President
As the campaign developed, Reagan's most serious opposition came from Bush, who won support from moderate Republicans worried that Regan's conservatism might alienate the broader electorate. Reagan won with 489 electoral votes and 43,903,230 popular votes.
Learn More:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1576043/United-States-presidential-election-of-1980
