-
Period: to
Dien Bien Phu
This Vietnamese city was the location of the final battle in the first Indochina War. The French suffered a massive defeat at the hands of the Viet Minh. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This groundbreaking decision made segregated public schools illegal. -
Rosa Parks is Arrested
Rosa Parks refuised to give up her seat on a segragated public bus. The bus driver called the police and arrested her, sparking a massive turning point in the Civil Rights movement. -
SCLC Founded
Teh Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an African American civil rights group is founded. -
Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who were allowed in the Little Rock High School. Governor Faubus used the National Guard to blockade the entrance and President Eisenhower sent troops to the school for an armed escort. -
Greensboro Four
African American students stage a sit in at a segregated lunch counter. Six months later, the same students are allowed service. -
Birmingham Protests
MLK leads protests in Birmingham. Hundreds of African Americans, MLK and many school children are arrested. -
"I Have a Dream" Speech
MLK delivers his "I Have a Dream Speech" in DC, in support of new civil rights act. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in the united States based off of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. This was a major victory for African Americans civil rights activists. -
Period: to
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was a massive bombing campaign conducted by USAF forces over North Vietnam. One of the longest aerial campaigns ever conducted, it was terminated in 1968 achieving none of its objectives. -
Selma March
MLK leads a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The police however, brutally attacked the marchers. -
Period: to
Battle of la Drang
This battle was the first major confrontation between US and Viet Cong forces. Although the Americans had to retreat from the battlefield, both sides claim victory. -
Period: to
Battle of Khe Sanh
Both the American forces and Northern Communist forces claimed victory in this battle. After the end of this bloody fight, the McNamara Line was terminated. -
Period: to
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a surprise attack of the US troops in Vietnam. Although a miliraty defeat for the Viet Cong, the American media was shocked that an enemy close to defeat could launch such an attack. -
Period: to
Battle of Huế
One of th bloodiest and longest battles of the Vietnam war, the Battle of Huế resulted in a US victory. Unlike many battles in this war, the Battle of Huế was urban, instead of jungle warfare. -
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was a mass murder of 500 unarmed Vietnamese in South Vietnam. This catastrophe resulted in a widespread anti-war feeling sweeping across the US homefront. -
Period: to
Operation Commando Hunt
A covert USAF campaign, the objective with which was to prevent transit of PAVN personnel and supplies on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. -
Period: to
Battle of Hamburger Hill
Although the heavily fortified Hill 937 (Hamburger Hill) was of little strategic value, U.S. command ordered its capture only to abandon it soon after. The debacle caused an outrage in American military and public. -
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1969 was signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1969. This landmark document made discriminatory voting practices illegal in the United States. -
Kent State Massacre
The Kent State Massacre involved the shooting of unarmed college students by members of the Ohio National Guard. The guardsmen fired 67 rounds over a period of 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others. the students were peacefully protesting the recent US Invasion of Cambodia. -
Period: to
U.S. Involvement in Vietnam Ends
On March 5, 1973, the first American unit deployed in Vietnam was pulled out. On April 30, 1975, Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese and was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. -
Fall of Saigon
In 1975, Viet Cong forces captured the Southern capital of Saigon and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City. This marked the end of the Vietnam War.