THE VIETNAM WAR

HOW DID IT START?

The Vietnamese waged an anti-colonial war against France, which received $2.6 billion in financial support from the United States. The French and the Vietnamese met for a peace conference in Geneva.

As a result, Vietnam received their independence. Vietnam was divided, like Korea, to an anti-communist south and a communist north.

HOW DID IT END?

South Vietnam surrendered to the North and Vietnam was reunited. The war cost 58,000 U.S. lives and over 2 million Vietnamese lives.

VIETNAM WAR TIMELINE

• 1954- Vietnamese forces occupy the French's commanding post at Dien Bien Phu and the French Commander orders his troops to cease fire.
• 1959- Group 559 is created to make a supply route from North Vietnam to Vietcong troops in South Vietnam.
• 1961- JFK orders more help for the South; 700 American helicopters arrive in South Vietnam
• 1962- ranchhand begins.

Untitled Slide

• 1964- South Vietnamese commandos attack two small North islands; American jets bomb two naval bases; China tests an atomic bomb; two days before U.S. Presidential Election Vietnam mortars she'll Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon.