AROUND 2000 BC.
FOUNDING OF KINGDOM OF AU LAC,THE VIETNAM OF LEGEND.
CA.210 BC.
CHINESE GENERAL CHAO T'O ESTABLISHED AN INDEPENDENT KINGDOM OF NAM-VIET,INCLUDING TONKIN,NORTHERN ANNAM,AND BRIEFLY THE CANTON REGION.
208 BC.
A CHINESE RENEGADE GENERAL CONQUERS AU LAC AND PROCLAIMS HIMSELF EMPEROR OF NAM VIET.
1 ST CENTURY BC
THE HAN DYNASTY INCORPORATES NAM VIET AS A CHINESE PROVINCE.
AD 40
THE 2 TRUNG SISTERS LEAD A REBELLION THAT ESTABLISHES A SHORT LIVED INDEPENDENCE.
AD 40-43
HAN FORCES LED BY MA YUAN SUPPRESSED A REVOLT IN TONKIN AND WENT ON TO TAKE ANNUM AND HAINAN.
AD.CA. 200
FAN SHIH-MAN LED THE KINGDOM OF FUNAN,CENTERED ON THE LOWER MEKONG VALLEY,IN AN EXPANSION THAT CAME TO INCLUDE COCHIN-CHINA[SOUTHERN VIETNAM],CAMBODIA,AND POSSIBLY THAILAND.
431
THE CHAM FOUGHT OFF A CHINESE NAVAL ATTACK ON CHAMPA.
541-547
VIETNAMESE LED BY LI-BON BREFLY THREW OFF CHINESE RULE.
543
KING RUDRAVARMAN LED THE CHAM IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTACK AGAINST LI-BON'S VIETNAMESE FORCES.
547
CHINESE PUT DOWN LI-BON'S VIETNAMESE REVOLT.
550
FUNAN KING RUDRMAN WAS OVERTHROWN BY 2 BROTHERS FROM CHENLA,CHITRASENA AND BHAVAVARMAN,WHO TOOK MOST OF CAMBODIA;RUDRAVARMAN RETAINED ONLY A SMALL SOUTHERN REGION.
602-605
GENERAL LIU FANG RENEWED CHINESE CONTROL OF TONKIN AND ANNAM AND SENT A PUNITIVE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE CHAM.
605
CHINESE NAVAL FORCES FOUGHT OFF AN INVASION OF TONKIN BY THE CHAMS.
706
KINGDOM OF FUNAN[CHENLA]SPLITS AND COLLAPSED.
938
NGO QUYEN DEFEATS CHINESE AND ESTABLISHES INDEPENDENT STATE,DAI VIET,RECOGNIZED BY CHINA IN 967.
939
ANNAM FINALLY WON ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM A WEAKENED CHINA.
979
ANNAM FOUGHT OFF AN INVASION BY THE CHAM KING PARAMESVARAVARMAN.
982
ANNAMESE UNDER KING LE HOAN INVADES CHAMPA,SACKING THE CAPITAL AND KILLING THE KING OF CHAMPA.
989
IN ANNAM,REBELS OVERTHROW KING LE HOAN,WHO WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED BY KING HRIVARMAN 2.
1000-1044
IN VIETNAM THE KINGDOM OF CHAMPA WAS AT WAR WITH ANNAM.
1044
4 DECADE ANNAM-CHAMPA WAR ENDED WHEN THE ANNAMESE TOOK THE CHAM CAPITAL OF VIJAYA[BINH BINH] AND KILLED THE KING.
1177-1178
IN THE CHAMPA-ANGKOR WAR,THE THE CHAM INVADED ANGKOR,TAKING AND SAKING THE CAPITAL[1177],KHMER LED BY JAYAVARMAN 7,SCORED A NOTABLE NAVAL VICTORY OVER THE CHAM[1178?],POSSIBLY ON THE MEKONG RIVER.
1191-1192
UNDER A PUPPET RULER,SURYAVARMAN,CHAMPA WAS REUNITED AND THE KHMER DRIVEN OUT[THE WAR CONTINUE].
R.1220-1252
UNDER JAYA PARMESVARAVARMAN 2 CHAMPA CONTINUED ITS FIGHT WITH ANNAM OVER BORDER PROVINCES.
1252
LONG WAR BETWEEN CHAMPA AND ANNAM ENDED WHEN CHAMPA'S JAYA PARMESVARAVARMAM 2 WAS KILLED DURING AN INVASION BY KING TRAN THAITON.
1257
MONGOLS UNDER GENERAL SOGATU INVADED ANNAM[CENTRAL VIETNAM],DRIVING THE CHAM INTO THE MOUNTAINS,WHERE THEY BECAME GURRILLAS.MONGOLS TOOK TONKIN,INCLUDING HANOI.
1282
TRAN HUNG DAO REPELS MONGOL INVASION.
1285
KUBLAI KHAN'S SON TOGAN BROUGHT MONGOL REINFORCEMENT TO ANNAM, TAKING HANOI;THEY WERE THEN DEFEATED BY THE ANNAMESE AND BLOCKED FROM JOINING UP WITH SOGATU'S MONGOL ARMY,WHICH WAS DRIVEN INTO CHAMPA,WHERE SOGATU WAS KILLED.
1287
MONGOL FORCES AGAIN TOOK HANOI, BUT THE ANNAMESE UNDER KING TRAN NHONTON HALTED THE INVASION,THEIR LAST.
1312-1313
ANNAM CONQUERED CHAMPA[1312],BUT THE 2 UNITED TO FIGHT OFF AN INVASION BY THE TAI[THAILAND],UNDER RAI KHAMHENG[1313],AFTER WHICH CHAMPA AGAIN REASSERTED ITS PRIMACY UNDER CHE ANAN.
1353
IN VIETNAM THE ANNAMESE BLOCKED A CHAM INVASION OF HUE PROVINCE.
1371-1377
CHE BONG NGA OF CHAMPA INVADED ANNAM,TAKING AND SACKING HANOI[1371];HE LATER FOUGHT OFF A COUNTER ATTACK,DEFEATING ANNAM FORCES AT VIJAYA[1377] AND KILLING THE ANNAMESE KING TRAN DUE-TON.
1390
CHAMPA'S SOLDIER-KING CHE BONG NGA WAS KILLED AT SEA FIGHTING ANNAMESE AND CHINESE PIRATES.
1400-1407
THOUGH EMBROILED IN A CIVIL WAR,ANNAM TOOK NORTHERN CHAMPA.
1407
MING DYNASTY CONQUERS DAI VIET,INCORPORATES IT AS CHINESE PROVINCE.CHINESE FORCES TOOK ANNAM,TO OSTENSIBLY TO RESTORE ORDER.
1427-1431
LE LOI LED ANNAMESE REBEL FORCES IN BESIEGING HANOI,TAKING IT FROM THE CHINESE OCCUPATION GARRISON[1427-1428],THEN MAKING HIMSELF KING[1431].
1428
EMPEROR LE LOI REESTABLISHES INDEPENDENCE,ENDING CHINESE DOMINATION.
1441-1446
THOUGH WRACKED BY CIVIL WAR,CHAMPA MADE NUMEROUS UNSUCCESSFUL RAIDS INTO ANNAM.
1446-1471
ANNAM INVADES CHAMPA;TOOK,LOST,THEN RETOOK THE CAPITAL OF VIJAYA;THEN,UNDER LE THANH TON;CONQUERED THE REGION SOUTH TO CAPE VARELLA,EFFECTIVELY ENDING THE 2 NATION'S LONG CONFLICT.
1633-1673
VIETNAMESE CIVIL WAR;A LONG SERIES OF ENGAGEMENTS PITTED THE NORTH VIETNAMESE TRINH FAMILY AND THEIR DUTCH ALLIES AGAINST THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE NGUYEN FAMILY AND THEIR PORTUGESE ALLIES.
1673
VIETNAMESE CIVIL WAR;AFTER 40 YEARS OF FIGHTING,7 MAJOR CAMPAIGNS,AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF 2 MAJOR DEFENSIVE WALLS NORTH OF THE GGUYEN CAPITAL, HUE,THE NORTHERN TRINH FAMILY AND THE SOUTHERN NGUYEN FAMILY PARTITIONED VIETNAM AT THE LINH RIVER.
17 TH TO 18 TH CENTURIES
DEVERSIVE INTERNECINE WARFARE,OPENING THT WAY FOR FOREIGN INTERFERENCE THROUGH MISSIONARIES,MERCENARIES AND MERCHANTS.
1738-1749
CAMBODIA VIETNAMESE WAR;ATTACKING CAMBODIAN FORCES WERE DEFEATED BY THE VIETNAMESE,WHO THEN ATTACKED AND DEFEATED THE CAMBODIANS,TAKING MORE OF THE MEKONG RIVER BASIN.
1773
VIETNAM WAS TORN BY CIVIL WAR BETWEEN THE TRINH AND TAY SON FAMILIES[1773-1801].
1776
TAY SON FORCES TOOK SAIGON.
1786
TAY SON FORCES COMPLETED THE CONQUEST AND REUNIFICATION OF VIETNAM.
1788
NGUYEN ANH DRIVES OUT A RENEWED CHINESE INVASION.
1788-1789
VIETNAMESE FORCES DEFEATED AN INVASION BY THE MANCHU ARMY.
1789
FIRST FLEET OF FRENCH MERCENARIES,CHARTERED BY A CHATHOLIC BISHOP,LANDS IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM AND ALLIES ITSELF WITH NGUYEN ANH.
1802
TAKING TITLE OF EMPEROR GIA LONG,NGUYEN ANH FOUNDS NGUYEN DYNASTY,VIETNAM'S LAST,AND ESTABLISHES CAPITAL IN HUE.
1841-1843
SIAMESE-VIETNAMESE WAR;SIAM AND VIETNAM FOUGHT INCONCLUSIVELY OVER CAMBODIA,WITH THE SIAMESE GAINING TENNOUS CONTROL OF MUCH OF THE COUNTRY.
1847
FIRST OFFICIAL FRENCH MILITARY INTERVENTION,AT DA NANG.
1851-1857
VIETNAMESE UNDER KING TU DUC BEGAN WHAT WOULD BE A LONG SERIES OF CONFLICTS WITH THE FRENCH,BOTH MISSIONARIES AND MILITARY FORCES.
1858
FRENCH FORCES BEGAN THEIR CAMPAIGN OF CONQUEST IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM.
1859
FRENCH FORCES TOOK SAIGON,IN S. VIET.
MAR.1860-FEB.1861
FRENCH RELIEF FORCES ENDED THE 11 MONTH VIETNAMESE SIEGE OF FRENCH HELD SAIGON. FRANCE ANNEXED EASTERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN VIETNAM.
1862
EMPEROR TU DUC CEDES SAIGON AND SURROUNDING REGIONS TO FRANCE.
1867
ALL SOUTHERN VIETNAM SUBMITS TO FRANCE.
HANOI INCIDENT;FRENCH FORCES TOOK HANOI;ALTHOUGH THEY LATER EVACUATED THE CITY,THEY ANNEXED MORE OF VIETNAM.
1883
AFTER NEW CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND THE VIETNAMESE,FRENCH FORCES TOOK HANOI AND HUE[CAPITAL],VIETNAM NOW BECOMES A FRENCH PROTECTORATE[COLONY].
1885-1895
LARGE SCALE VIETNAMESE UP RISINGS AGAINST FRENCH RULE WAS ULTIMATELY DEFEATED BY FORCE!.
1890-1969
HO CHI MINH[NGUYEN THAT THANH]-COMMUNIST LEARDER-LEARDER OF NORTH VIETNAM[1954-1969].
1895
FRENCH FORCES FINALLY SUCCEEDED IN SUPPRESSING A MAJOR VIETNAMESE INSURRECTION.
1912-
VO NGUYEN GIAP-VIETNAMESE COMMANDER AT DIEN BIEN PHU AND ARMY COMMANDER IN CHIEF DURING 2ND INDOCHINA WAR.
1913-
BAO DAI[NGUYEN VINH THUY]-HEAD OF PUPPET VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FRENCH[1925-1940/1949-1954]AND THE JAPANESE[1940-1945],NOW LIVING IN FRANCE IN EXILE.
1913-1990
LE DUC THO[PHAN DINH KHAI]-NORTH VIETNAMESE LEARDER.
1923-
NGUYEN VAN THIEU;SOUTH VIETNAMESE GENERAL AND PRESIDENT[1967-1975].
1930
HO CHI MINH FOUNDS INDOCHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY
1940
JAPAN OCCUPIES VIETNAM
1941-1945: SECOND WORLD WAR
1941
HO CHI MINH ORGANIZED THE LEAGUE FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF VIETNAM[VIETMINH].
JAPAN DECLARES VIETNAM INDEPENDENT FROM FRANCE.
VIET MINH STARTS GENERAL UPRISING.
1945
LAST EMPEROR,BAO DAI,ABDICATES.
HO DECLARES INDEPENDENCE.
FRANCE BEGINS RECONQUEST.
LAST COLONIAL WAR BREAKS OUT.
1946-1954; FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:VIETNAMESE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
1946-1945
A GUERRILLA INSURGENCY BECAME A FULL-SCALE WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM,LED BY ITS FIRST PRESIDENT HO CHI MINH.
JAN.-FEB. 1947
VIETMINH FORCES BESIEGED HUE', BUT FAILED TO TAKE THE CAPITAL.
1950
HO CHI MINH DECLARED ON THE 14TH JANUARY THAT THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM WAS THE ONLY LEGAL GOVERNMENT.
IT WAS RECONISED BY THE USSR AND CHINA.
AUSTRALIA:8 TH FEB.:AUST. EXTENDED DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION TO THE FRENCH-SPONSORED GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM,HEADED BY FORMER PUPPET EMPEROR BAO DAI.
AUSTRALIA:9 MAR.:EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER,PERCY SPENDER,TOLD PARLIEMENT IF VIETNAM CAME UNDER THE HEEL OF COMMUNIST CHINA THEN MALAYA,THAILAND,BURMA AND INDONESIA WOULD BECOME THE NEXT DIRECT OBJECT OF FURTHER COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES.
AUSTRALIA:8 MAY:IT WOULD PROVIDE ECONOMIC AID TO THE FRENCH IN INDOCHINA,STARTING WITH A GRANT OF $10 MILLION.
FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:1945-1954
1951
VIETNAMESE INDEPENDENTCE FORCES GREW STRONGER,LINKING UP WITH PATHET LAO AND KHMER ROUGE GUERRILLA ARMIES; FRENCH CONTROL WAS CONFINED TO THE CITIES AND SOME FORTIFIED BASES.FRENCH RECOGNITION OF THE BAO DAI VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAD NO EFFECT.
1954
MAR.-MAY;IN THE DECISIVE ACTION OF THE WAR,NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES BESIEGED DIEN BIEN PHU, A FRENCH FORTRESS TOWN ON THE LAOTIAN-VIETNAMESE BORDER.
FRENCH DEFEATED BY VIET MINH FORCES AT DIEN BIEN PHU[7 TH MAY],SURRENDER AFTER A SIEGE LASTING 55 DAYS.THE SURRENDER OF ITS GARRISON OF 16,000,EFFECTIVELY ENDED THE WAR.
THE END OF FRENCH PRESENCE IN INDOCHINA.
FRENCH-NORTH VIETNAMESE GENEVA ACCORDS ON VIETNAM[JULY];FORMALLY ENDED THE WAR,IT PROVIDED FOR FRENCH WITHDRAWAL AND PARTITIONED THE COUNTRY INTO NORTH AND SOUTH VIETNAM, GENERATING THE LONG CIVIL WAR THAT FOLLOWED.
9 OCT.:FRENCH FORCES LEAVE HANOI.
GENEVA ACCORDS DIVIDE VIETNAM U.S. REPLACES FRANCE AS MAIN SUPPORT OF ANTI-COMMUNIST SOUTH VIETNAM,RULED BY NGO DINH DIEM.
1954-1975: VIETNAM CIVIL WAR:BETWEEN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH.
CIVIL WAR BEGAN AS A NORTH VIETNAMESE-SUPPLIED GUERRILLA INSURRECTION IN SOUTH VIETNAM;IN THE 1960'S IT WOULD MERGE WITH THE VIETNAM WAR
1955
NGO DINH DIEM BECOMES MILITARY DICTATOR OF SOUTH VIETNAM.
1956
FRENCH FORCES COMPLETE THEIR WITHDRAWAL FROM INDOCHINA.AS NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES BEGAN TO WIN THE NORTH-SOUTH CIVIL WAR,THE U.S. REPLACED FRANCE AS CHIEF SOUTH VIETNAMESE PATRON;HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN MILITARY ADVISERS FORMALLY TOOK OVER THE TRAINING OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES,BEGINNING THE SEQUENCE OF INVOLVEMENTS THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE VIETNAM WAR.
1957
AUSTRALIA:SEPT.:S.V. PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM VISITED AUSTRALIA.MENZIES REAFFIRMED SUPPORT FOR HIS REGIME
MAY:DIEM VISITS THE U.S.
1959
NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES OPENED THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL; A SUPPLY AND TROOP TRANSPORT ROUTE THROUGH LAOS AND CAMBODIA TO SOUTH VIETNAM.
1960
HANOI FORMS NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT IN SOUTH;CIVIL WAR GAINS PACE.
1961
AMERICAN PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY PROMISE DIRECT AMERICAN MILITARY AID TO SUPPORT THE SOUTH VIET. GOVERNMENT,SENDING GENERAL MAXWELL D. TAYLOR TO VIETNAM AND THE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF AMERICAN ADVISERS AND THE VOLUME OF SUPPLIES.
AUSTRALIA:17 NOV.:U.S. GOVERNMENT SOUGHT AN INDICATION THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS OF AUSTRALIA'S WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST IN VIET.
1962
U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE COMMAND FORMED AND "ADVISERS" BEGIN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE WAR AGAINST THE V.C..
13 JAN.:DEFOLIATION PROGRAM OPERATION RANCH HAND BEGINS IN S.V..
AUSTRALIA:24 MAY:ATHOL TOWNLEY,MINISTER FOR DEFENCE,SAID "THAT 30 MILITARY ADVISERS[?] WOULD BE SENT TO VIETNAM.
AUSTRALIA:JULY-AUG:ADVISERS ARRIVED IN S.V..
1963
SOUTH VIETNAMESE DICTATOR NGO DINH DIEM WAS DEPOSED IN AN AMERICAN BACKED MILITARY COUP[NOV.1];HE AND HIS BROTHER NGO DINH NHU,HEAD OF THE SECRET POLICE, WERE MURDERED THE NEXT DAY.
A MILITARY JUNTA HEADED BY GENERAL DUONG VAN MINH TOOK POWER,OPERATING AS A POVISIONAL GOVERNMENT HEADED BY NGUYEN NGOC THO,WHICH WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE U.S.,BY THIS TIME DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE CIVIL WAR.
AUSTRALIA:1 JUNE:ADVISER,WILLIAM FRANCIS HACKING-ACCIDENTIALLY KILLED;40 MILES WEST OF HUE ;FIRST AUST.KILLED IN ACTION.
BY YEARS END:15,000 U.S. ADVISERS WERE IN S.V.,WHICH HAD RECIEVED $500 MILLION IN AID.
1964
U.S. BEGINS AIR WAR AGAINST THE NORTH.
AUSTRALIA:JUNE:PRIME MINISTER MENZIES VISITED WASH.D.C., WHERE TALKS CENTERED ON VIETNAM.
AUSTRALIA:6 JULY:ADVISERS KEVIN GEORGE CONWAY KILLED AT NAM DONG,30 MILES WEST OF DANANG.
2 AUGUST:NORTH VIETNAM PATROL BOATS ATTACKED THE U.S. DESTROYER MADDOX IN TONKIN GOLF.
5 AUGUST:A DOUBTFUL 2ND INCIDENT INVOLVING THE TURNER JOY.
7 AUGUST:US CONGRESS PASSES THE TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION,GIVING PRESIDENT JOHNSON EXTRAORDINARY POWERS TO ACT IN SOUTH-EAST-ASIA.
AUSTRALIA:10 NOV.:GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED CONSCRIPTION[NATIONAL SERVICE-2 YEARS].
GENERAL NGUYEN TOOK POWER IN SOUTH VIETNAM BY A MILITARY COUP.
1965-1973:VIETNAM WAR
1965
JAN.:DEFOLIANT AGENT ORANGE INTRODUCE IN S.V..
FEB.:FULL AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE CIVIL WAR START.HEAVY BOMBING OF NORTH VIETNAM:MINING OF HAIPHONG/OTHER HARBORS.ALONG WITH THE COMMITMENT OF MASSIVE GROUND FORCES.[SEND IN THE MARINES!!!]
MAR.:BATTALION-STRENGTH TROOPS ARRIVALS BEGAN.
AUSTRALIA:29 APRIL:MENZIES GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED COMMITMENT OF AUST. TROOPS TO VIETNAM.
AUSTRALIA:MAY-JUNE:1 ST BATTALION RAR,COMPRISING 800 MEN,ARRIVED AT BIEN HAO.
JULY:DECISION TO COMMIT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TROOPS.[BY YEARS END,MORE THAN 150,000 U.S. TROOPS IN VIETNAM.START OF THE 10 YEAR COMMITMENT TO THE WAR.
OCT.-NOV.:BATTLE OF LA DRANG:FIRST LARGE SCALE [REGIMENTAL-STRENGTH] BATTLE BETWEEN U.S. AND THE NVA. IN THE LA DRANG VALLEY,NEAR THE CAMBODIAN BORDER.
S.V. AIR GENERAL NGUYEN CAO KY TOOK POWER BY A COUP.
US TROOPS LEVEL PASSED 50,000....
1966
MASSIVE AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO THE WAR GREW,AS DID OPPOSITION TO THE WAR AT HOME:BY YEARS END,MORE THAN 400,000 U.S. INCLUDING SECRET FORCES,WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE WAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.AMERICAN/S.V. FORCES UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPT TO SECURE SAIGON,THEIR HEADQUARTERS,WHILE VC FORCES OPERATED FREELY OUT OF THE IRON TRIANGLE;MAJOR GUERRILLA BASE ONLY 25 MILES FROM THE CITY,AS THEY WOULD THROUGHT THE WAR. VC FORCES CONTINUED TO FIGHT A GUERRILLA WAR ,AS U.S./SV. FORCES TRIED TO INTERDICT THEIR SUPPLY LINES;DEFEAT THEIR OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH/CENTRAL HIGHLANDS/COAST/MEKONG DELTA.U.S. AIRFORCE BOMBED NORTH VIETNAM SUPPLY LINES THROUGH LAOS AND CAMBODIA.
AUSTRALIA:26 JAN.:HOLT ANNOUNCED THAT A SELF-CONTAINED TASK FOFCE OF 2 BATTALIONS, AN SAS REGT. AND COMBAT SUPPORT UNITS WOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN PHUC TUY PROVENCE AND THAT CONSCRIPTS WOULD GO TO VIET.
AUSTRALIA:24 MAY:ERROL WAYNE NOACK FIRST CONSCRIPT KILLED IN VIETNAM.
AUSTRALIA:30 JUNE:IN WASHINGTON-HOLT PLEDGES TO GO "ALL THE WAY WITH LBJ"!.
AUSTRALIA:18 AUG:BATTLE OF LONG TAN:18 KILLED FOR 245 VC AND NVA IN THE LARGEST SINGLE CONTACT OF THE WAR.
1967
SUCCESSFUL NVA/VC GUERRILLA WAR CONTINUES,AS U.S./SV. FORCES TRIED TO PURSUED AN ELUSIVE GUERRILLAS/MINED RIVERS/FAILED TO INTERDICT SUPPLY LINES IN S.V./LAOS/CAMBODIA.
AUSTRALIA:NOV-DEC:MILITARY COMMITMENT TO VIETNAM PEAKED AT 8,300 TROOPS.
YEARS END:500,000 U.S. TROOPS.
SEPT:NGUYEN VAN THIEU WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF SOUTH VIETNAM.
1968
31 JANUARY:COMMUNIST TET OFFENSIVE IS DEFEATED ,BUT INTENSIFIES AMERICAN DESIRE TO WITHDRAWN "WITH HONOR".
TET OFFENSIVE:NVA/VC FORCES MOUNTED AN OFFENSIVE THROUGHOUT S.V.,INCLUDING ATTACKS ON THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN SAIGON. A MILITARY FAILURE,THE OFFENSIVE WAS A MAJOR POLITICAL SUCCESS FOR THE NVA,DEMONSTRATING THAT U.S. GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES OF PROGRESS IN THE WAR HAS BEEN OVERLY OPIIMISTIC AND THAT THERE WAS NO "LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL".U.S. PUBLIC OPINION TURNED DECISIVELY AGAINST CONTINUATION OF THE WAR.
AUSTRALIA:12 FEB.:GORTON INDICATED THAT AUSTRALIA WOULD HOT INCREASE ITS COMMITMENT TO VIETNAM.
16 MAR.:MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS BY US SOLDIERS AT MY LAI[HAMLET IN QUANG TRI PROVINCES] COMANDED BY LIEUTENANT WILLIAM L. CALLEY JR.,AT LEAST 450 UNARMED S.V.CIVILIANS WERE KILLED.
MAY 10-OCT.31:TET OFFENSIVE/MY LAI MASSACRE FORCED U.S. RECONSIDERATION OF THE WAR. MANY UNSUCCESSFUL U.S./S.V. OPERATIONS WERE MOUNTED.
BY YEARS END,US FORCES IN VIETNAM TOTALLING 536,000:NUMBERS KILLED IN COMBAT TOTALLED 14,592.
MAY 10:PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE OPENS.
OCT.31:OUTGOING PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON ORDERED CESSATION OF ALL ATTACKS ON THE NORTH.
1969
U.S./ALLIED TROOPS LEVEL 700,000.AS NVA PRESSURE CONTINUED,U.S. BOMBING INTENSIFIED;PEACE NEGOTIONS PROCEED;U.S. WITHDRAWAL BEGINS.
MAY:PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON ANNOUNCED TROOP WITHDRAWAL.U.S. FORCES IN REGT. STRENGTH ASSAULTED/TOOK FORTIFIED NVA POSITIONS NEAR THE LAOTION BORDER,HAMBURGER HILL
JUNE:TROOP WITHDRAWAL BEGINS.:THE HILL WAS RETAKEN BY THE NVA.
JUNE 5:BOMBING OF N.V. RESUMES.
U.S. BEGINS BOMBING OF V.C. BASES IN CAMBODIA.
3 SEPT.:HO CHI MINH DIED IN HANOI,AGED 79.
1970
APRIL-JUNE:CAMBODIA INCURSION:U.S./S.V. FORCES INVADE CAMBODIA;THEY WERE FORCED TO WITHDREW BECAUSE THE MOVE GENERATED EVEN MORE MASSIVE U.S. ANTIWAR PROTEST AT HOME.
AT YEARS END ,U.S./ALLIED FORCES NUMBERED APPROXIMATELY 400,000.NVA/VC CONTINUE TO HOLD/STRENGHEN THEIR POSITIONS IN S.V..
AUSTRALIA:22 APRIL:GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT A BATTALION WOULD BE WITHDRAWN.
ALL OF CAMBODIA ENGULFED IN WAR.
1971
AUSTRALIA:30 MARCH:GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT A FURTHER 1,000 MEN WOULD BE WITH DRAWN.
AUSTRALIA:18 AUG.:MCMAHON ANNOUNCED THAT MOST OF THE TROOPS WOULD BE HOME BY CHRISTMAS.
AUSTRALIA:17 DEC.:LAST MAJOR WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS.
DEC:AMERICAN TROOP WITHDRAWALS ACCELERATED;BY YEARS END,U.S./ALLIED FORCES NUMBERED APPROXIMATELY 200,000.DURING THE YEAR, SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES STRUCK INTO LAOS AND CAMBODIA.U.S. BOMBS THE NORTH.
1972
TROOPS WITHDRAWALS CONTINUED;BY YEARS END,AMERICA/ALLIED TROOPS NUMBERED FEWER THAN 50,000.NVA FORCES CONTINUED TO STRENGHEN.
APRIL:GOING OVER PARTIALLY TO PROSITIONAL WAREFARE IN THE EASTERN OFFENSIVE,WHICH THOUGH LARGELY FAILED,DID SUCCEED IN TAKING QUANG TRI CITY,IN NORTHERN SOUTH VIETNAM.
SEPT.:THE CITY WAS RETAKEN BY THE ARVN WITH U.S.AIR SUPPORT.
AUSTRALIA:8 DEC.:LAST AUSTRALIAN TROOPS LEAVE S.V..
AUSTRALIA:18 DEC.:ADVISERS LEAVE S.V..
DEC.:PEACE NEGOTIANS CONTINUED.PRESIDENT NIXON ORDERED THE HEAVY "CHRISTMAS BOMBING"OF HANOI AND HAIPHONG,THE MINING OF HARBORS[BEGINNING DECEMBER 18].
1973
23 JAN.:NIXON ANNOUNCES THAT A AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED FOR "PEACE WITH HONOUR"
27 JAN.:CEASE FIRE BEGAN:PARIS PEACE ACCORDS ON VIETNAM,NEGOTIATED BY HENERY KISSINGER AND LE DUC THO,PROVIDED FOR AMERICA WITHDRAWAL,RETURN OF AMERICAN P.O.W.,AND A NORTH-SOUTH TRUCE ENDING THE WAR.
AUSTRALIA:26 FEB.:PRIME MINISTER WHITLAM ANNOUNCED ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH HANOI,BUT RETAINS RECOGNITION OF THE GOVT. OF S.V..
29 MAR.:U.S. TROOPS WITHDRAW.
1 APRIL:LAST US PRISONER OF WAR RELEASED IN HANOI.
JUNE:AMERICAN WARPLANES CONTINUE TO ATTACK KHMER ROUGE FORCES IN CAMBODIA UNTIL FORCED TO STOP BY A CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION.
1974
SOUTH VIETNAMS PRESIDENT NGUYEN VAN THIEU DECLARED,4 JAN.,THAT THE WAR HAD BEGUN AGAIN.
NVA AND ARVN FORCES CLASHED REPEATEDLY,DESPITE A CEASE-FIRE. AS THE NVA PREPARED FOR THEIR FINAL OFFENSIVE.
1975
MAR.25:NVA FORCES MOUNTED THEIR FINAL OFFENSIVE IN THE SOUTH,CAPTURED HUE'
APRIL 1:NVA CAPTURED DANANG.
AUSTRALIA:25 APRIL:AUST. CLOSES EMBASSY IN SAIGON.
APRIL 30:SOUTH VIETNAM SURRENDER AS NVA TROOPS APPROACHED SAIGON,APPROXIMATELY 7,000 AMERICANS/VIETNAMESE WERE EVACUATED BY AIR,INCLUDING MORE THAN 2,000 FROM THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN SAIGON.
1976
VIETNAM REUNIFIED..THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM....
1977
AS THE CAMBODIA HOLOCAUST/CIVIL WAR CONTINUED,DENOUNCED BY HANOI,PLUS MANY OTHER NATIONS,VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA FOUGHT AND INCREASINGLY HEATED BORDER WAR.
1978
VIETNAM-CAMBODIAN BORDER WAR ESCALATED INTO A FULL-SCALE VIET. INVASION OF CAMBODIA. FORCES QUICKLY DEFEATED THE KHMER ROUGE ARMY WHICH FLED WEST TOWARDS THE THAILAND BORDER.BEGINNING THE LONG GUERRILLA WAR AGAINST THE VIET./CAMB. ALLIES.
1979
JAN.6:VIETNAM CONQUERS CAMBODIA,TAKING PHNOM PENH;OVERTHROWS POL POT REGIME;ESTABLISHING A PUPPET CAMB. GOVT..
FEB.-MAR.:CHINA MOUNTS BRIEF PUNITIVE INVASION INTO NORTHERN VIETNAM.
1985
VIET. FORCES IN CAMBODIA ATTACKED KHMER ROUGE BASES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAMB-THAI BORDER,GENERATING A SERIES OF ENGAGEMENTS WITH THAILANDS BORDER FORCES.
1986
IN REACTION TO SOVIET PERESTROIKA AND COLLAPSE,ECONOMIC REFORMS INTRODUCE.
1991
INTENSIFIED ECONOMIC REFORM DOI MOI
1995
U.S.-VIET. NORMALIZES RELATIONSHIP.
1996
MORE ECONOMIC REFORM/FOREIGN ENVESTMENT IN VIET ECONOMY BY US/JAPAN/AUSTRALIA/FRANCE..
US OPENS EMBASSY IN HANOI.
VIET. OPENS EMBASSY IN WASH.D.C..
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