Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Vietnam War

     In general, these are some of  the most important events occured during Vietnam War (1 November 1955 - 30 April 1975) I have found so far




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.

No comments:

Post a Comment