This is a brief summary of important dates and events related to the Vietnam War. This not comprehensive, for certain.

1. Vietnam War
 Some Dates you should know.

2. 1954
 The French lost a
major battle to
Communist leader
Ho Chi Minh
in 1954
@ Dien Bien Phu

3. 1963
 1963: JFK supports
the removal of South
Vietnam’s President
Ngo Dinh Diem. They
are murdered (Nov. 2)
 Kennedy was
assassinated just
weeks later (Nov. 22)

4. 1964
 Tonkin Gulf Incident
1964
led to the …Tonkin
Gulf Resolution
 “The Blank Check” *
giving permission to
President Johnson to
wage war to stop
Communist North
Vietnam from taking
over South Vietnam

5. 1965
 First U.S. Combat troops to Vietnam

7. 1968
 TET Offensive
– Surprise attacks by
Viet Cong
Communists in South
Vietnam
– Military failure for
Communists BUT a
HUGE psychological
VICTORY for them
because the American
people thought the war
was UNWINNABLE
– Public Opinion goes
against the war

8. 1970
 Kent State
University
 4 Students shot
by Army National
Guard on
campus in Ohio.
 They were
protesting the
War.

9. 1973
 War Powers Act,
1973 ‫٭‬
 President must notify
Congress within 48
hours of deploying
military force
 President must
withdraw forces
unless he gains
Congressional
approval within 90
days

10. 1973
 Ceasefire Declared
 Last US Troops
Leave South Vietnam