Timeline

1945: Ho Chi Minh declares Independence of Vietnam

1946: Negotiations between French and Vietminh breakdown

1947: Vietminh move North of Hanaoi

1949: Bao Dai and President Vincent auriol of France sign the Elysee agreement

stating France pledge to assist in the building of a national anticommunist army

1950: The Unite States pledge to give France $15M in aid.

Chinese Soviets offer weapons to Vietminh

1953: France grants Laos full Independence

Vietminh forces Push into Laos

1954: Battle of Dienbienphu Begins

French defeated at Dien Bien Phu

1956:French leaves Vietnam

1957: Communist Insurgency into South Vietnam

Terrorist Bombings Rock Saigon

1960: North Vietnam imposes universal military conscription

Kennedy Elected President

Vietcong Formed

1962: Us military employs agent orange

1963: President Kennedy was Assassinated in Dallas

1964: Vietcong attack Bienhoa air base

1965: Us troops levels top 200,000

1966: South Vietnam government troops take Hue and Danang

1967: Operation Cedar falls begins

Martin Luther King speaks out against war

1968: North Vietnamese Launch tet offensive

Robert Kennedy assassinated

Richard Nixon Elected President

1970: Number of US troops falls to 280K

1973: Last American troop leave Vietnam

1980: Ronald Reagan Elected US President