Vietnam War World War Two--French driven out of Indo-China by the Japanese. The Japanese, although proclaiming "Asia for the Asians," rule harshly and unpopularly. France, Britain and the United States arm the Viet-Minh, a Vietnamese guerrilla movement led by the young Communist leader Ho Chi-Minh. They promise to grant Vietnamese independence after the war is over. 1945--The Japanese create a Vietnamese-ruled puppet state, led by the Vietnamese emperor Bo Dai, but at the same time the Viet Minh found the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. December--French troops return to Vietnam, re-establish French colonial rule. They use Japanese and German soldiers (including SS) as a police force, and try to disarm the Viet Minh. 1946--Vietnam incorporated into the "French Union." Viet Minh go to war against the French occupation forces. 1949--France recognizes Bo Dai as nominal ruler of Vietnam, but they retain control. 1950--Democratic Republic of Vietnam proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh, gains recognition and aid from U.S.S.R. and People's Republic of China. 1954--France defeated by the Viet Minh at Dien Bien Phu. Vietnam partitioned along 17th parallel. Ho Chi Minh establishes a Communist state in the north, supported by the U.S.S.R. The U.S. supports the creation of a Democratic state in the south, led by Premier Ngo Dinh Diem. U.S. forms SEATO alliance with Vietnam, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, etc. 1956--United States forces take over training of South Vietnamese Army (ARVN). 1958--Communist guerrillas (Viet Cong) stage raids into the south, make widespread use of terror as part of an attempt to undermine support for the South Vietnamese government. 1959--American military advisors sent to South Vietnam. July 8th, first American advisor shot by Viet Cong. 1961--Viet Cong increase activity throughout the South Vietnamese countryside. 1962--US. forms Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, or MACV. Australia and New Zealand send troops and advisors to aid ARVN. 1963--Diem overthrown and assassinated by South Vietnamese military. U.S. troops watch, refuse to intervene, may have supported. 1964, August 7th--Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Congress authorizes president Lyndon Johnson to use whatever force necessary to protect American troops in Vietnam. December 31st--23,000 American troops in Vietnam. 1965--South Korea sends troops to aid ARVN. Viet Cong begin terrorist attacks on US. troops. March 8th, US. Marines land at Da Nang. June, Colonel Ky heads South Vietnamese government. June 18th, ARCLIGHT begins, B-52 airstrikes over suspected Viet Cong strongholds. November, widespread anti-war demonstrations begin in the US. December, 131,000 American troops in South Vietnam. 1966--Operation Linebacker, massive B-52 airstrikes, poorly organized, but effective. Philippines sends troops to aid ARVN. December 31st, 385,000 American troops in South Vietnam 1967--Operation Cedar Falls against the "Iron Triangle," a hotbed of Viet Cong activity. September 3rd, Thieu elected President of South Vietnam. September 29th, Thailand sends troops to aid South Vietnam. December 31st, 486,000 American troops in South Vietnam. 1968--Viet Cong besiege American fortress of Khe Sahn for 77 days. Viet Cong driven back. Tet Offensive, major Viet Cong assault on American and South Vietnamese troops. The U.S. won the Tet offensive, but the American news media reported it as though the U.S. lost. Why? March, My Lai and Song Mai massacres. American soldiers go berserk, rape, kill, mutilate dozens of South Vietnamese civilians in two small villages. Major U.S. media coverage. World opinion shocked. Lt. Calley, commander of the unit during the massacres, tried & imprisoned, but quickly released. Jane Fonda travels to North Vietnam, poses in NVA uniform, makes PSYWAR broadcasts to American troops, encouraging them to surrender or to kill their officers ("frag" them with grenades). May, Paris Peace Talks begin, U.S., South Vietnam, North Vietnam negotiate. November, Richard Nixon elected president of the U.S., pledges gradually to withdraw American troops and to "Vietnamize" the war. December 31st, 536,100 American troops in South Vietnam (the peak) 1969--Ho Chi Minh dies. U.S. forces begin gradual disengagement. We negotiate a settlement with the North Vietnamese, and it looks like the U.S. and South Vietnam have won. Still, continued Viet Cong activity throughout South Vietnam, VC supplied via the Ho Chi Minh trail, running through Laos and Cambodia. December 31st, 474,000 American troops in South Vietnam. 1970--Communist Khmer Rouge win civil war in Cambodia. April 29th, MACV/ARVN incursion into Cambodia, designed to disrupt and destroy the Ho Chi Minh trail. The U.S. government swore that the invasion was not happening, but American people learned the truth by early May. Widespread popular discontent with American policy in South East Asia follows immediately. May 9th, massive anti-war demonstrations throughout the U.S. At Kent State University, in Ohio, National Guard troops fire into a crowd of anti-war demonstrators. Four students killed, two of whom were not involved in the demonstration but were on their way to class. More and more Americans wonder just what is going on. December 31st, Congress repeals Tonkin Gulf Resolution, greatly weakening the President's ability to send troops or aid without the consent of Congress. December 31st, 335,000 American troops in South Vietnam. 1971--Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Philippines withdraw their troops from South Vietnam. Still widespread Viet Cong activity, but it looks like the ARVN can handle it. 1972, March 30th--North Vietnamese Army invades South Vietnam, but is driven back. All U.S. ground troops are subsequently withdrawn from South Vietnam. Airmen remain on American-controlled bases. 1973--U.S.A., South Vietnam, North Vietnam & Viet Cong sign peace treaty. All U.S. troops depart. 1974--North Vietnam invades South Vietnam, using more tanks than Patton had in WWII. The U.S. Congress passes the Hatfield/Cooper/McGovern bill, which cuts off aid to South Vietnam. 1975--Congress refuses to send any further aid to South Vietnam, despite North Vietnamese invasion. April 30th, North Vietnamese Army takes Saigon, South Vietnam falls. May, Communist Pathet Lao win civil war in Laos. 1977--Cambodian Genocide, Khmer Rouge kill c. 3,000,000 Cambodians. Vietnam invades Cambodia. 1978--China invades Vietnam, then withdraws after destroying most of the Vietnamese army. Over a million refugees flee Vietnam, telling stories of concentration camps, torture, and genocide. American anti-war activists like Jane Fonda, George McGovern, and Frank Church say nothing.