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Vietnam Divides
France and Ho Chi Minh sign the Geneva Accords. This resolution states that Vietnam is to be divided at the seventeenth parallel. The South Vietnamese government and the United State refuse to sign, but they both promise to consent to the agreement. North Vietnam was communist and South Vietnam was non-communist. -
Viet Cong Formed
The Viet Cong was the military group of the North Vietnamese government. The group fought against the South Vietnamese Army and staffed by Ex-Viet Minh guerrilla soldiers from the South. These soldiers are trained in guerrilla tactics. -
Kennedy Assassinated
Former United States President, John F. Kennedy, is shot and killed. The presidency is passed on to vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson's became president of the United States in the height of the Vietnam War. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was the event that really compelled the United States to enter the Vietnam War. The USS Maddox, a US destroyer, was engaged by three North Vietnamese Navy torpedo boats. This is of historical significance because it authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to use military force in Southeast Asia. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Responding to a Viet Cong assault on the US Air Force base in South Vietnam, President Johnson authorized Operation Rolling Thunder. This operation is a bombardment compaign targeted on North Vietnam's transportation system. This is to halt the flow of Viet Cong men and supplies into the South. -
My Lai Massacre
American soldiers, including the "Charlie Company, massacre hundreds of civilians in the small village of My Lai in South Vietnam. Most of these Vietnamese civilians were women, children, and elderly men. -
Peace Talks Begin in Paris
Peace talks between North and South Vietnam are discussed in Paris. Representatives from the United States, the South Vietnamese government, and the National Liberation Front. -
Congress Votes to Withdraw Troops
The House and the Senate vote to withdraw all United States troops in Vietnam by the end of 1971. -
Vietnam War Officially Ends
The Vietnam War is officially over for the United States. The last US combat soldier leaves Vietnam. Some military advisors and Marines remain though. Over 3 million Americans have served in the war, 60,000 are dead, 150,000 are wounded, and 1,000 are missing in action. -
The Fall of Saigon
The North Vietnamese army and government take control of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. The Vietnam War ends because of this.
