Chronology: Key Events in The involvement of the USA in Vietnam, 1961–1975

1954 Defeat of the French at Dien Bien Phu. US ‘Domino Theory’ set out by the Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles. USA refusal of proposed partition of Vietnam.

1955 Diem proclaims himself President of South Vietnam.

1956 Departure of last French forces from Vietnam. US army advisers begin training South Vietnam armed forces.

1957 Start of Communist insurgency in the South.

1959 First use of the Ho Chi Minh trail to infiltrate the South.

1960 Victory of John F. Kennedy in presidential election. Failed assassination attempt against President Diem. Formation of Viet Cong.

1961 Fact-finding missions sent to Vietnam by Kennedy. Vice-president Johnson visits Saigon and calls Diem ‘the Churchill of Asia’.

1962 Failed attempt to kill Diem and carry out a coup d’état. Kennedy advised that Diem has wasted two billion dollars of US aid.

1963 ARVN defeated by Viet Cong in battle of Ap Bac. Buddhist protests against Diem, including suicides by burning. Diem overthrown and killed in military coup (backed by US). Assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas.

1964 General Nguyen Lhanh seizes power in Saigon. Gulf of Tonkin Incident; Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed by Congress. Re-election of President Johnson after landslide victory over Goldwater.

1965 Launch of bombing campaign against the North, Operation Rolling Thunder. US troop levels in Vietnam exceed 200 000.

1966 Bombing campaign extended to hit North Vietnam. Meeting between Johnson and South Vietnam leaders in Honolulu. Anti-war protests by US army veterans in New York City.

1967 Big US and ARVN offensive, Operation Cedar Falls. Anti-war speeches by Martin Luther King. Bombing campaign assessed as ‘ineffective’ by Robert McNamara.

1968 Tet Offensive launched by the North; Battle for Hue. 206 000 extra US troops requested by General Westmoreland. Massacre at My Lai. Announcement by President Johnson that he will not seek a second term. Assassination of Robert Kennedy; election of Richard Nixon as president.

1969 Secret bombing of Cambodia authorised by Nixon. Policy of ‘Vietnamisation’ launched. Massive anti-war protest in Washington.

1970 Overthrow of Prince Sihanouk in Cambodia. Students killed in protests at Kent State University. Start of secret negotiations between Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho.

1971 Publication of the ‘Pentagon Papers’; intensification of anti-war protests. Announcement by Nixon of his forthcoming visit to China. Re-election of President Thieu as leader of the South.

1972 US troops reduced by 70 000. Bombing of Hanoi. Watergate break-in (attracts little attention at the time). Landslide victory for Nixon in presidential election.

1973 Cease-fire agreed at Paris peace talks (January). Numerous violations of the cease-fire. Main American forces leave Vietnam. Watergate Scandal becomes a national political sensation. Nobel Peace Prize awarded jointly to Kissinger and Le Duc Tho.

1974 Thieu declares resumption of the war against the North. Resignation of Nixon; replaced by Gerald Ford.

1975 Major military offensive launched by the North. Hurried withdrawal of last US forces from the American Embassy. Saigon re-named Ho Chi Minh City.