THE VIETNAM WAR

1955 - 1975

WHY DID THE UNITED STATES GET INVOLVED IN

THE VIETNAM WAR?

VIETNAM WAR TIMELINE12 Feb 55 - President Eisenhower's administration sends the first U.S. advisers to South Vietnam

8 July 59 - Two Americans are killed and one wounded during a Viet Minh attack 20 miles north of Saigon

13 May 61 - President Kennedy orders 100 "special forces" troops to S. Vietnam

15 May 62 - President Kennedy orders an immediate build-up of US troops in Thailand to a total of 5,000 due to Communist attacks in Laos and movement toward the Thailand border

July 64 - Announcement states that US military contingent in Vietnam would increase 5,000 more to 21,000

2 Aug 64 - US Navy destroyers "Maddox" and "C. Turner Joy" are reported attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin (attacks 2 Aug + 4 Aug)

8 Mar 65 - "Two US Marine battalions arrived on the beach at DaNang in full battle gear.

30 Jan 68 - Communists start Tet Offensive which escalates into one of the major battles of the war, including attacks on almost all of the capitals of S. Vietnam's 44 provinces

27 Jan 73 - Official end of the Vietnam War. Between 27 Jan and 29 Mar 73, a total of 587 military and civilian prisoners were released by the North Vietnamese, and during that same period, 23,500 US troops were withdrawn from South Vietnam

29 Apr 75 - Last American soldier killed in Vietnam. The official American presence in Saigon ends when the last Americans are evacuated by helicopter from the US Embassy roof. Within hours the Saigon government surrenders to the VC

VIETNAM WAR MAP

VIETNAM WAR CASUALTIES

U.S. hostile deaths by military service

ARMY 30,950 65%

MARINES 13,091 28%

AIR FORCE 1,744 4%

NAVY 1,628* 3%

Total 47,413 -

Helpful Websites

http://www.vietnamwar.com/

www.vietnampix.com/

www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/

www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index.html

www.vietnamgear.com