Certainly the vietnam war was a protracted conflict that lasted from 1955 to 1975 and remains one of the most significant and controversial events in modern history the war began as a struggle for independence by the communist led viet minh against french colonial rule but quickly escalated into a cold war era proxy war between the united states which supported south vietnam s anti communist government and the soviet union and china which backed north vietnam the conflict claimed millions of lives both military and civilian and left lasting political social and economic impacts on vietnam and the united states in this table we will explore some of the key events and political leaders that shaped the vietnam war including battles treaties and major figures such as presidents and military commanders
| S. No. | Key Events | Year | Political Leaders | Results | ||
| 1 | Geneva Accords | 1954 | Ho Chi Minh (Viet Minh) | Divided Vietnam into North and South | ||
| 2 | Gulf of Tonkin Resolution | 1964 | Lyndon B. Johnson (US), Nguyen Van Thieu (South Vietnam) | Increased US involvement in Vietnam | ||
| 3 | Tet Offensive | 1968 | Ho Chi Minh (North Vietnam) | Turning point of the war | ||
| 4 | Paris Peace Accords | 1973 | Henry Kissinger (US), Le Duc Tho (North Vietnam) | Ceasefire and US withdrawal | ||
| 5 | Fall of Saigon | 1975 | Nguyen Van Thieu (South Vietnam) | Communist victory, unification of Vietnam | ||
| 6 | Ho Chi Minh’s Death | 1969 | Ho Chi Minh (North Vietnam) | New leadership for North Vietnam | ||
| 7 | Operation Rolling Thunder | 1965-1968 | Lyndon B. Johnson (US) | Intense bombing campaign in Vietnam | ||
| 8 | My Lai Massacre | 1968 | William Calley (US) | War crime, tarnished US reputation | ||
| 9 | Easter Offensive | 1972 | Le Duan (North Vietnam) | Massive attack on South Vietnam | ||
| 10 | Kent State Shootings | 1970 | Richard Nixon (US) | Anti-war protests turned deadly | ||
| 11 | Agent Orange | 1961-1971 | Dwight D. Eisenhower (US), Richard Nixon (US) | Toxic chemical used as defoliant | ||
| 12 | Hanoi Hilton | 1954-1973 | Ho Chi Minh (North Vietnam), John McCain (US) | Infamous POW camp | ||
| 13 | Operation Ranch Hand | 1962-1971 | John F. Kennedy (US), Lyndon B. Johnson (US) | More chemical defoliation of Vietnam | ||
| 14 | Buddhist Crisis | 1963 | Ngo Dinh Diem (South Vietnam) | Protests against discriminatory policies | ||
| 15 | Domino Theory | 1950s-1970s | Dwight D. Eisenhower (US), Richard Nixon (US) | Fear of communism spreading globally | ||
| 16 | Gulf of Tonkin Incident | 1964 | Lyndon B. Johnson (US) | Pretext for increased US involvement | ||
| 17 | Operation Cedar Falls | 1967 | William Westmoreland (US) | Large-scale search and destroy mission | ||
| 18 | Operation Linebacker II | 1972 | Richard Nixon (US) | Intense bombing of North Vietnam | ||
| 19 | Battle of Hue | 1968 | Vo Nguyen Giap (North Vietnam) | Fierce urban combat in South Vietnam | ||
| 20 | Kent State Shootings | 1970 | Richard Nixon (US) | Anti-war protests turned deadly | ||
| 21 | Cambodian Campaign | 1970 | Richard Nixon (US) | Expansion of war into Cambodia | ||
| 22 | Paris Peace Talks | 1968-1973 | Henry Kissinger (US), Le Duc Tho (North Vietnam) | Attempt to negotiate end to war | ||
| 23 | Christmas Bombings | 1972 | Richard Nixon (US) | Continued bombing despite peace talks | ||
| 24 | Battle of Khe Sanh | 1968 | William Westmoreland (US) | Lengthy and costly siege in South Vietnam | ||
| 25 | Operation Game Warden | 1965-1971 | Nguyen Van Thieu (South Vietnam) | US naval operation in Mekong Delta | ||
| 26 | Operation Prairie | 1966 | William Westmoreland (US) | Search and destroy mission in South Vietnam | ||
| 27 | Paris Peace Accords | 1973 | Henry Kissinger (US), Le Duc Tho (North Vietnam) | Ceasefire and US withdrawal | ||
| 28 | National Liberation Front | 1960s | Ho Chi Minh (North Vietnam) | Guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam | ||
| 29 | Operation Attleboro | 1966 | William Westmoreland (US) | Search and destroy mission in South Vietnam | ||
| 30 | Pentagon Papers | 1971 | Daniel Ellsberg (US) | Secret documents leaked to press | ||
| 31 | Easter Offensive | 1972 | Vo Nguyen Giap (North Vietnam) | Large-scale invasion of South Vietnam | ||
| 32 | Agent Orange use | 1960s-70s | US military | Herbicide use caused lasting health effects | ||
| 33 | Fall of Saigon | 1975 | Nguyen Van Thieu (South Vietnam), Gerald Ford (US) | Communist victory and reunification of Vietnam | ||
| 34 | Tet Offensive | 1968 | Vo Nguyen Giap (North Vietnam) | Coordinated attacks during Vietnamese New Year | ||
| 35 | Ho Chi Minh Trail | 1959-1975 | NVA and Viet Cong | Supply route from North to South Vietnam | ||
| 36 | Operation Phoenix | 1965-1972 | US military | Counterinsurgency program in South Vietnam | ||
| 37 | My Lai Massacre | 1968 | William Calley (US) | Mass killing of civilians in South Vietnam | ||
| 38 | Operation Rolling Thunder | 1965-1968 | Lyndon B. Johnson (US) | Intense bombing campaign in North Vietnam | ||
| 39 | Battle of Hamburger Hill | 1969 | William Westmoreland (US) | Costly battle in South Vietnam | ||
| 40 | Tet Offensive leads to US withdrawal | 1968-1973 | Richard Nixon (US) | Public opinion turns against war | ||
| 41 | Operation Menu | 1969-1970 | Richard Nixon (US) | Secret bombing of Cambodia | ||
| 42 | Laotian Civil War | 1953-1975 | Royal Lao Government, Pathet Lao, US, NVA | Communist victory and takeover of Laos | ||
| 43 | Geneva Accords | 1954 | Dwight D. Eisenhower (US) | Ceasefire and partition of Vietnam | ||
| 44 | Battle of Ia Drang Valley | 1965 | Hal Moore (US) | First major US ground engagement | ||
| 45 | Operation Junction City | 1967 | William Westmoreland (US) | Largest US operation of the war | ||
| 46 | Gulf of Tonkin Resolution repealed | 1971 | US Congress | Limits presidential power in war-making | ||
| 47 | Operation Freedom Deal | 1969-1970 | Richard Nixon (US) | Bombing campaign in eastern Cambodia | ||
| 48 | Operation Lam Son 719 | 1971 | Nguyen Van Thieu (South Vietnam) | Failed ARVN offensive in Laos | ||
| 49 | Paris Peace Accords signed | 1973 | Henry Kissinger (US), Le Duc Tho (North Vietnam) | US troop withdrawal and ceasefire | ||
| 50 | Battle of Hanoi | 1972 | Vo Nguyen Giap (North Vietnam) | US bombing campaign halted |
