P
resident Truman’s policy of containment led the United States into the most disliked war of the twentieth century. When North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam to aid the rebel Viet Cong, the U.S. entered the conflict to defend a democracy in need. The U.S. became caught in the horrific Vietnam conflict, and nearly fifteen years later, the U.S. withdrew its demoralized troops. The Vietnam War defined a generation and is regrettably remembered for its poor management and most importantly for the soldiers who valiantly gave their lives to defend a foreign country’s democracy.
Timeline
1955 - 1975Vietnam War
Conflict Period
Vietnam War
Served For
United States of America
Location
QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
People or Groups: Role
U.S. Army - SP4 - E4 198th Light Infantry Brigade
Location
Vietnam
Other: All remaining combat soldiers leave Vietnam
Mar 1973
Other: Ho Chi Minh Trail organized
1959
Other: Operation Rolling Thunder
Other: U.S. invades Cambodia
29 Apr 1970
Other: My Lai Massacre
16 Mar 1968
Other: All warring parties sign cease-fire agreement in P
27 Jan 1973
Other: Kennedy sends military advisors to South Vietnam
1961
Other: Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
7 Aug 1964
Other: At 4:03 a.m. last two Americans are killed
30 Apr 1975
Other: Gulf of Tonkin Affair
Other: Vietnamese gain independence over French
7 May 1954
Other: Pres Johnson increases American forces to 60,000+
Apr 1965
Other: American forces in Vietnam reach 385,000
Dec 1966
Other: U.S. air-lift evacuation of Saigon
29 Apr 1975
Other: Tet Offensive begins
31 Jan 1968
Other: Number of troops reaches peak at 543,482
30 Apr 1968
Other: Only 133,000 U.S. troops remain in Vietnam
1 Jan 1972
U.S. Numbers: Troops deployed to East Asia
3,403,000
U.S. Numbers: Number of troops killed
58,202
U.S. Numbers: Number of troops wounded
303,704
Event
Vietnam War
Also Known As
Second Indochina War, Vietnam Conflict
From
1959
To
30 Apr 1975
Quote: Richard Nixon, New York Times, March 28, 1985
No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War.
Other Facts
Name
James Larry Kiestler
General Creighton Abrams
U.S. Commander in Vietnam 1968-72
Vo Nguyen Giap
North Vietnam Commander
U.S. Presidents Involved in Vietnam
John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford
