December 1953
Vietminh forces push into Laos.

March 1954
Battle of Dien Bien Phu begins.

July 1954
Geneva agreements halt hostilities in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Give Vietnam freedom from the French, but splits it into two countries : north and south

September 1954
SEATO(Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) is formed.

October 1954
French forces leave Hanoi.
US Navy helps refugees flee from north to south Vietnam.

January 1955
US begins to train South Vietnamese army.

October 1957
Rebellion against South Vietnamese Government.

June 1958
Former Vietminh influence peasants against S. Vietnamese government, and become more organized in eastern Mekong delta.

July 1958
Americans and Prince of Laos adopt anti-Communist stand.

July 1959
Communist send supplies to the south.
First Americans dies - killed by guerrillas.

November 1960
South Vietnamese army unsuccessfully attempts to overthrew Diem.

December 1960
Hanoi leaders name the communist Vietnamese "The Vietcong"

October 1961
Kennedy sends more equipment and advisors to Diem.

February 1962
South Vietnamese pilots bomb Palace. Diem survives.

January 1963
Battle of ApBac Vietcong defeats south Vietnam.

August 1963
Ngo Ding Nau's forces attack Buddhist temples.

November 1963
Diem and Nhu (his brother) surrender and are murdered.

August 1964
North Vietnamese allegedly attack an American destroyer.
Congress gives Johnson power to act and send troops to South Asia.

December 1964
Vietcong bomb American Military in Saigon.

February 1965
American intense bombing of North Vietnam.

March 1964
First American Combat troops in Vietnam.

July 1965
18 American combat battalions are in South Vietnam.

October 1965
First large clash of the War. America defeats North Vietnam at the IaDrang Valley.

December 1965
200,000 American troops in Vietnam

October 1966
American and South Vietnamese conference in Manila.

December 1966
400,000 American troops in Vietnam

August 1967
McNamara tells senate American bombing is ineffective.

December 1967
500,000 American troops in Vietnam
Domestic war protests rise.

January 1968
Tet offensive begins.
New secretary of defense Clifford rejects troop build up.

March 1968
My Lai massacre Advisors tell Johnson further escalation would not be good.

December 1968
540,000 American troops in Vietnam

March 1969
Secret bombing of Cambodia by Nickson.

June 1969
Nickson withdraws 25,000 American troops.

October 1969
Massive antiwar demonstrations in Washington.

November 1969
Revelation of My Lai massacre in 68.

December 1969
60,000 American troops withdrawn.

April 1970
American and South Vietnamese attack Cambodia.

October 1970
Death toll is 24. Lowest in 4 years.

December 1970
280,000 American Troops still in Vietnam

March 1971
LT Calley convicted of murder of civilians at My Lai.

December 1971
140,000 troops

March 1972
North Vietnam attacks across the DMZ(demilitarized zone)

April 1972
Nickson bombs Hanoi and Haiphong

December 1972
More bombing.
Communists agree to diplomatic talks.

January 1973
Cease fire agreements signed.
Draft ended by secretary of defense Laird.

March 1973
Last American troops leave Vietnam

April 1973
Last American POWs released.

Jan 1974
Thieu says "The war has begun again!" 1974
General Tran Van Tra, (communist general positioned in the south) comes up with plan to take over the South by 1976.

June 1974
Communist build up of men and supplies.

January-March 1975
Communists advance, taking Phuoclong prvince, and Banmehout, both north of Saigon. April 1975
North Vietnamese take control of Saigon Around 50,000 South Vietnamese and Americans evacuated.