The Vietnam War

United States in Vietnam 1945-1975 Seeds of Conflict 1945 - 1960 it has begon b the americans occ!"ed #ietnam in Se"tember $6% 1945 - The first &merican death in Vietnam occ!rs% d!ring the !nrest in Saigon% as 'SS officer (t) Col) &) *eter +e,e is -illed b Viet .inh g!errillas ,ho mistoo- him for a /rench officer) 0efore his death% +e,e had filed a re"ort on the dee"ening crisis in Vietnam% stating his o"inion that the U)S) 1o!ght to clear o!t of So!theast &sia) and this is ,h north #ietnam become comm!nist .arch 1946 - 2o Chi .inh agrees to "ermit /rench troo"s to ret!rn to 2anoi tem"oraril in e3change for /rench recognition of his +emocratic 4e"!blic of Vietnam) Chinese troo"s then de"art)+ecember 19% 1946 - 5n 2anoi% 60%000 Viet .inh la!nch their first large-scale attac- against the /rench) Th!s begins an eight ear str!ggle -no,n as the /irst 5ndochina War) 1The resistance ,ill be long and ard!o!s% b!t o!r ca!se is 7!st and ,e ,ill s!rel tri!m"h%1 declares Viet .inh militar commander Vo 8g! en 9ia") 15f these :"eo"le; ,ant a fight% the <ll get it%1 /rench militar commander 9en) =trienne Vall! states) 7an!ar 1950 - The *eo"le<s 4e"!blic of China and the So#iet Union recogni>e 2o Chi .inh<s +emocratic 4e"!blic of Vietnam) 'ctober $6% 1955 - The 4e"!blic of So!th Vietnam is "roclaimed ,ith +iem as its first "resident) 5n &merica% *resident =isenho,er "ledges his s!""ort for the ne, go#ernment and offers militar aid) and the start of ,ar bet,een north and so!th #ietnam is on +ecember $0% 1960 - The 8ational (iberation /ront is established b 2anoi as its

Comm!nist "olitical organi>ation for Viet Cong g!errillas in So!th Vietnam) &merica Commits 1961 - 1964 ?an!ar $0% 1961- ?ohn /it>gerald @enned is ina!g!rated as the 65th U)S) *resident and declares 1))),e shall "a an "rice% bear an b!rden% meet an hardshi"% s!""ort an friend% o""ose an foe% to ins!re the s!r#i#al and the s!ccess of libert )1 *ri#atel % o!tgoing *resident =isenho,er tells him 15 thin- o!<re going to ha#e to send troo"s)))1 to So!theast &sia)2o,e#er% the U)S) ,ill be o""osed b an enem dedicated to total militar #ictor 1))),hate#er the sacrifices% ho,e#er long the str!ggle)))!ntil Vietnam is f!ll inde"endent and re!nified%1 as stated b 2o Chi .inh)/all - The conflict ,idens as $6%000 Viet Cong la!nch se#eral s!ccessf!l attac-s on So!th Vietnamese troo"s) +iem then reA!ests more militar aid from the @enned administration) 'ctober $4% 1961 - 'n the si3th anni#ersar of the 4e"!blic of So!th Vietnam% *resident @enned sends a letter to *resident +iem and "ledges 1the United States is determined to hel" Vietnam "reser#e its inde"endence)))1 *resident @enned then sends additional militar ad#isors along ,ith &merican helico"ter !nits to trans"ort and direct So!th Vietnamese troo"s in battle% th!s in#ol#ing &mericans in combat o"erations) @enned 7!stifies the e3"anding U)S) militar role as a means 1)))to "re#ent a Comm!nist ta-eo#er of Vietnam ,hich is in accordance ,ith a "olic o!r go#ernment has follo,ed since 1954)1 The n!mber of militar ad#isors sent b @enned ,ill e#ent!all s!r"ass 16%000) and the start of ,ar +ecember 1961 - Viet Cong g!errillas no, control m!ch of the co!ntr side in So!th Vietnam and freA!entl amb!sh So!th Vietnamese troo"s) The cost to &merica of maintaining So!th Vietnam<s sagging $00%000 man arm and managing the o#erall conflict in Vietnam rises to a million dollars "er da ) ?an!ar 6% 1966 - & Viet Cong #ictor in the 0attle of &" 0ac ma-es front "age ne,s in &merica as 650 Viet Cong fighters defeat a large force of &merican-eA!i""ed So!th Vietnamese troo"s attem"ting to sei>e a radio transmitter) Three &merican helico"ter cre, members are -illed .arch 1964 - Secret U)S)-bac-ed bombing raids begin against the 2o Chi .inh trail inside (aos% cond!cted b mercenaries fl ing old &merican fighter "lane +ecember $4% 1964 - Viet Cong terrorists set off a car bomb e3"losion at the 0rin-s 2otel% an &merican officers< residence in do,nto,n Saigon) The bomb is timed to detonate at 5B45 ")m)% d!ring <ha"" ho!r< in the bar) T,o &mericans are -illed and 5C ,o!nded) *resident ?ohnson dismisses all recommendations for a retaliator air stri-e against 8orth Vietnam) 0 ear<s end% the n!mber of &merican militar ad#isors in So!th Vietnam is $6%000)

There are no, an estimated 170%000 Viet CongD8V& fighters in the <*eo"le<s 4e#ol!tionar &rm < ,hich has beg!n ,aging coordinated battalion-si>ed attac-s against So!th Vietnamese troo"s in #illages aro!nd Saigon) The ?!ngle War 1965 - 196C ?an!ar $0% 1965 - ( ndon 0) ?ohnson ta-es the oath as "resident and declares% 1We can ne#er again stand aside% "ridef!l in isolation) Terrific dangers and tro!bles that ,e once called 1foreign1 no, constantl li#e among !s)) ?an!ar $7% 1965 - ?ohnson aides% 8ational Sec!rit &d#isor .c9eorge 0!nd and +efense Secretar 4obert .c8amara% send a memo to the *resident stating that &merica<s limited militar in#ol#ement in Vietnam is not s!cceeding% and that the U)S) has reached a <for- in the road< in Vietnam and m!st either soon escalate or ,ithdra,)

?an!ar 1965 - '"eration 9ame Warden begins U)S) 8a# ri#er "atrols on So!th Vietnam<s 6000 na!tical miles of inland ,ater,a s)

/ebr!ar 4% 1965 - 8ational Sec!rit &d#isor .c9eorge 0!nd #isits So!th Vietnam for the first time) 5n 8orth Vietnam% So#iet *rime .inister &le-sei @os gin coincidentall arri#es in 2anoi)

/ebr!ar 6% 1965 - Viet Cong g!errillas attac- the U)S) militar com"o!nd at *lei-! in the Central 2ighlands% -illing eight &mericans% ,o!nding 1$6 and destro ing ten aircraft) /ebr!ar 7-C - 15<#e had eno!gh of this%1 *resident ?ohnson tells his 8ational Sec!rit ad#isors) 2e then a""ro#es '"eration /laming +art% the bombing of a 8orth Vietnamese arm cam" near +ong 2oi b U)S) 8a# 7ets from the carrier 4anger)

?ohnson ma-es no s"eeches or "!blic statements concerning his decision) '"inion "olls ta-en in the U)S) shortl after the bombing indicate a 70 "ercent a""ro#al rating for the *resident and an C0 "ercent a""ro#al of U)S) militar in#ol#ement in Vietnam) ?ohnson no, agrees to a long-standing recommendation from his ad#isors for a s!stained bombing cam"aign against 8orth Vietnam)

5n 2anoi% So#iet *rime .inister @os gin is "ress!red b the 8orth Vietnamese to "ro#ide !nlimited militar aid to co!nter the &merican 1aggression)1 @os gin gi#es in to their demands) &s a res!lt% so"histicated So#iet s!rface-to-air missiles ES&.sF begin arri#ing in 2anoi ,ithin ,ee-

then the blood ,ar begins

+ecember $5% 1965 - The second "a!se in the bombing of 8orth Vietnam occ!rs) This ,ill last for 67 da s ,hile the U)S) attem"ts to "ress!re 8orth Vietnam into a negotiated "eace) 2o,e#er% the 8orth Vietnamese deno!nce the bombing halt as a 1tric-1 and contin!e Viet Cong terrorist acti#ities in the So!th)

0 ear<s end U)S) troo" le#els in Vietnam reached 1C4%600) &n estimated 90%000 So!th Vietnamese soldiers deserted in 1965% ,hile an estimated 65%000 soldiers from 8orth Vietnam infiltrated the So!th #ia the 2o Chi .inh trail) U" to 50 "ercent of the co!ntr side in So!th Vietnam is no, !nder some degree of Viet Cong control)

Time .aga>ine chooses 9eneral William Westmoreland as 1965<s <.an of the Gear ?!ne 4% 1966 - & three-"age anti-,ar ad#ertisement a""ears in the 8e, Gor- Times signed b 6400 teachers and "rofessors)

?!ne $5% 1966 - *olitical !nrest in So!th Vietnam abates follo,ing the crac-do,n on 0!ddhist rebels b *rime .inister @ % incl!ding the arrest of 0!ddhist leader Tri H!ang) @ no, a""eals for calm)

?!ne $9% 1966 - Citing increased infiltration of Comm!nist g!errillas from 8orth Vietnam into the So!th% the U)S) bombs oil de"ots aro!nd 2anoi and 2ai"hong% ending a selfim"osed moratori!m)

The U)S) is #er ca!tio!s abo!t targeting the cit of 2anoi itself o#er concerns for the reactions of 8orth Vietnam<s militar allies% China and the So#iet Union) This concern also "re#ents an U)S) gro!nd in#asion of 8orth Vietnam% des"ite s!ch recommendations b a fe, militar "lanners in Washington) The 0itter =nd

1969 - 1975 an!ar $$% 1969 - '"eration +e,e Can on% the last ma7or o"eration b U)S) .arines begins in the +a @rong #alle )

&+V=4T5S=.=8T

?an!ar $5% 1969 - *aris "eace tal-s o"en ,ith the U)S)% So!th Vietnam% 8orth Vietnam and the Viet Cong all in attendance)

/ebr!ar $6% 1969 - Viet Cong attac- 110 targets thro!gho!t So!th Vietnam incl!ding Saigon)

/ebr!ar $5% 1969 - 66 U)S) .arines are -illed b 8V& ,ho raid their base cam" near the +emilitari>ed Ione)

.arch 4% 1969 - *resident 8i3on threatens to res!me bombing 8orth Vietnam in retaliation for Viet Cong offenses in the So!th)

.arch 15% 1969 - U)S) troo"s go on the offensi#e inside the +emilitari>ed Ione for the first time since 196C)

.arch 1969 - (etters from Vietnam #eteran 4onald 4idenho!r res!lt in a U)S) &rm in#estigation into the . (ai massacre)

.arch 17% 1969 - *resident 8i3on a!thori>es '"eration .en!% the secret bombing of Cambodia b 0-5$s% targeting 8orth Vietnamese s!""l sanct!aries located along the border of Vietnam) /ebr!ar $% 1970 - 0-5$ bombers stri-e the 2o Chi .inh trail in retaliation for the increasing n!mber of Viet Cong raids thro!gho!t the So!th) &"ril $7% 1975 - Saigon is encircled) 60%000 So!th Vietnamese soldiers are inside the cit b!t are leaderless) 8V& fire roc-ets into do,nto,n ci#ilian areas as the cit er!"ts into chaos and ,ides"read looting)

&"ril $C% 1975 - <8e!tralist< 9eneral +!ong Van 10ig1 .inh becomes the ne, "resident of So!th Vietnam and a""eals for a cease-fire) 2is a""eal is ignored)

&"ril $9% 1975 - 8V& shell Tan Son 8h!t air base in Saigon% -illing t,o U)S) .arines at the com"o!nd gate) Conditions then deteriorate as So!th Vietnamese ci#ilians loot the air base) *resident /ord no, orders '"eration /reA!ent Wind% the helico"ter e#ac!ation of 7000 &mericans and So!th Vietnamese from Saigon% ,hich begins ,ith the radio broadcast of the song 1White Christmas1 as a "re-arraigned code signal)

&t Tan Son 8h!t% frantic ci#ilians begin s,arming the helico"ters) The e#ac!ation is then shifted to the ,alled-in &merican embass % ,hich is sec!red b U)S) .arines in f!ll combat gear) 0!t the scene there also deteriorates% as tho!sands of ci#ilians attem"t to get into the com"o!nd)

Three U)S) aircraft carriers stand b off the coast of Vietnam to handle incoming &mericans and So!th Vietnamese ref!gees) .an So!th Vietnamese "ilots also land on the carriers% fl ing &merican-made helico"ters ,hich are then "!shed o#erboard to ma-e room for more arri#als) /ilmed footage of the J$50%000 cho""ers being tossed into the sea becomes an end!ring image of the ,ar<s end)

&"ril 60% 1975 - &t CB65 a)m)% the last &mericans% ten .arines from the embass % de"art Saigon% concl!ding the United States "resence in Vietnam) 8orth Vietnamese troo"s "o!r into Saigon and enco!nter little resistance) 0 11 a)m)% the red and bl!e Viet Cong flag flies from the "residential "alace) *resident .inh broadcasts a message of !nconditional s!rrender) The ,ar is o#er)