Franklin D. Roosevelt—president
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| 1941 |
May |
Formation of the Vietminh.
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July |
Japanese wrest control of Vietnam (named Annam by Imperial France) from French.
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Harry S Truman—president
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| 1945 |
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Vietminh demand Vietnamese independence from Imperial France and Japan.
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August |
Japanese surrender in World War II. The August Revolution takes place. The Japanese transfer power to the Vietminh, and the reign of Bao Dai ends. Ho Chi Minh names himself president of the proclaimed Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
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| 1946 |
December |
French refuse to abandon their ambitions for
Vietnam. War breaks out between the French and Vietnamese. Start of first Vietnam War; also called the Indochina War.
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Dwight D. Eisenhower—president
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| 1954 |
May |
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu; following this: the Geneva Accords.
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| 1950 |
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Ngo Dinh Diem refuses participation in upcoming scheduled elections. US assists and backs Diem’s regime.
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| 1960 |
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Ho Chi Minh establishes National Liberation Front (Vietcong) in South Vietnam. NLF starts guerrilla warfare in Republic of Vietnam.
Failed coup attempt is made against Diem’s government.
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John F. Kennedy—president
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| 1961 |
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US and South Vietnam form military and economic aid treaty. *Start of US troops’ arrival into Vietnam.
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| 1963 |
November |
US and South Vietnamese have had enough of President Ngo Dinh Diem’s administration. There is a military uprising to oust Diem, backed by the US. President Diem and his brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, are assassinated on the first of the month.
Before he is assassinated, US President Kennedy expresses desire to reduce number of American military advisors in Vietnam. By this time, there are 16,000 American military advisors in Vietnam.
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Lyndon B. Johnson—president
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| 1964 |
August |
On the second of this month, the North Vietnamese attack the USS Maddox. On the seventh, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is passed by the US Senate.
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| 1965 |
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US begins air raids on the Communist-controlled areas in South Vietnam.
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| 1966 |
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Number of American troops in South Vietnam reaches 190,000.
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| 1967 |
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Nguyen Van Thieu is elected president of South Vietnam.
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| 1968 |
January |
Tet Offensive takes place.
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March 16 |
My Lai incident occurs.
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Richard M. Nixon—president
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| 1969 |
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US President Nixon announces first of American troop withdrawls from South Vietnam.
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| 1970 |
April |
Nixon announces to country that US and South Vietnamese troops have invaded Cambodia to oust Vietcong camps and stop supply and personnel lines to North Vietnamese forces.
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May 4 |
Kent State University tragedy occurs.
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| 1971 |
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Nguyen Van Thieu is elected president of the Republic of Vietnam.
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| 1973 |
January |
In Paris, Henry Kissinger negotiates for the US in peace talks. On the twenty-seventh, America, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and NLF sign peace agreement, the Paris Peace Accords.
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February |
POWs begin to come home.
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March |
Last of US combat troops leave Vietnam.
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Gerald R. Ford—president
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| 1975 |
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North Vietnamese offensive launched against South Vietnam. US Congress denies South Vietnam’s requests for US aid; South Vietnamese president Thieu flees the northern half of South Vietnam.
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April 30 |
North Vietnamese troops march into Saigon.
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| 1976 |
July |
Vietnam is formally reunified. Saigon is renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
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