| 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
|
Source: textbook page 788 – 808
Vietnam War wikipedia
Personally, I think my project is going very well and it is becoming more and more interesting to me. I am very excited to do a research on Vietnam War which is a very important event not only in Vietnam but also in the USA. As a Vietnamese, I find this project a golden chance for me to learn and understand more about the war that occurred in my mother-country and deeply relates to the history of USA. It is also an opportunity for me to help the international students in class who haven’t heard of this war very much know more about this important event and learn some more about what happened in my country as well as in USA from 1950s to 1970s.
In my opinion, the first necessary thing I should read and watch is about some general events during Vietnam War. These important events will help me and the readers have a general view of Vietnam War and know what was going on chronologically. I think I have found some very useful sources which provide me detailed and necessary information I am looking for. I read and also watched my sources carefully to get the most precise events of Vietnam War.
