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Ho Chi Minh is born
Ho Chi Minh would go on to form the Indo-Chinese Communist Party in which he became the president of North Vietnam. He also led the People's Army of North Vietnam and the Viet Cong during the War. -
Vietnam declares independence from France, but neither France nor the United States recognize Vietnam as a separate nation
The North responds to this by forming a guerrilla group in the South called the Viet Cong to try and gain independence over all of Vietnam instead of just the North because that was all they gained from the Accords. -
The Geneva Accords cause Vietnam to be split into North and South
It was at the 17th parallel where North and South Vietnam was divided by the Accords -
President Eisenhower declares "Domino Theory"
The idea behind the "Domino Theory" was to justify the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. They did not want the Vietnamese to win and then spread Communism all across southeast Asia. Also, to have a non-communist dictator in South Vietnam -
The Viet Minh and Ho Chi Minh defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu
In response to this, the United States decided to take up the anti-communist fight while the French recovered. This meant 20 more years of fighting in Vietnam and the U.S. protecting the newly formed South Vietnam. -
Ngo Dinh Diem cancels elections in Vietnam
Due to the fact that Diem was losing support in South Vietnam, and he did not want to unify the country, which was offered by the Accords, Diem decided to cancel the elections. -
The National Liberation Front is formed
This group was also known as the Viet Cong, and they occupied the southern part of Vietnam but worked for the north. -
A South Vietnamese monk sets himself on fire
This man was a Buddhist and the reason he did this was because he was attempting to fight all forms of oppression on equal terms. Including his religion because of his belief that all religions needed restrictions. -
The United States withdraws support of Ngo Dinh Diem, leader of South Vietnam
After the United States withdrew their support of Diem, he was brutally assassinated during a coup by opposing generals on Nov 2, 1963. -
President Kennedy is assassinated, leading to the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson
After the assassination occurred, there were many what ifs for the United States with the Vietnam War. Many people believe that if he were still in office, he would have withdrawn U.S. troops from Vietnam after being re-elected in 1964. Which meant that the United States would not have suffered nearly as many casualties. -
President Johnson claims a U.S. ship had been fired upon by the North Vietnamese
President Lyndon Baines Johnson makes claims of unprovoked attacks by the North Vietnamese on some of the American ships in international waters. The first to be fired upon is the USS Maddox by several torpedo boats. Although, it was able to fight off the boats with the aid of the USS Ticonderoga. In response, Johnson sent out multiple strikes to retaliate against the Vietnamese and Congress approved it. -
The first combat troops arrive in Vietnam
The United first sent military advisers around sometime in September of 1950. Although they continued to do this throughout 1965 until they officially sent in their first combat troops. Their group was called MAAG (Military Assistance Advisory Group) and they were based in Saigon, Vietnam.
