Vietnam War Figures and Events

Ho Chi Minh

Founder of the Viet Minh and President of North Vietnam; led the communist fight for Vietnamese independence and unification.

Ngo Dinh Diem

Anti-communist leader supported by the U.S. became unpopular due to his oppressive regime and was assassinated in 1963.

General Vo Nguyen Giap

Led the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong in major victories, including the Tet Offensive.

Lyndon B. Johnson

Escalated U.S. involvement in Vietnam, authorizing massive troop deployments and bombing campaigns.

Richard Nixon

Implemented "Vietnamization" to withdraw U.S. troops and transferred combat roles to South Vietnam; ordered bombing of Cambodia.

Robert McNamara

Key architect of U.S. military strategy in Vietnam; later expressed regret over the war's escalation.

Henry Kissinger

Made strategy to move responsibility of fighting back to SV and negotiated the Paris Peace Accords (1973) to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

William Westmoreland

Commanded U.S. forces during the height of the war; promoted the idea of "body count" as a measure of success.

Le Duan

Took over leadership from Ho Chi Minh and pushed for continued military efforts to unify Vietnam.

John F. Kennedy

Increased U.S. advisors in Vietnam supported Diem's regime until its collapse.

Jane Fonda

Opposed the war; visited North Vietnam in 1972 and became a controversial anti-war figure.

Daniel Ellsberg

Leaked the Pentagon Papers, revealing government missteps and deception about the war.

French Imperialism in Indochina

France colonized Vietnam, exploiting its resources and sparking nationalist resistance.

Viet Minh

A nationalist group led by Ho Chi Minh that fought for Vietnamese independence from France.

Geneva Accords (1954)

Divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel, setting the stage for civil war.

Domino Theory

The U.S. belief that if one country fell to communism, others in the region would follow.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964)

Alleged attack on a U.S. ship used to justify escalating military involvement.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Gave President Johnson broad war powers without a formal declaration of war.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Sustained U.S. bombing campaign in North Vietnam meant to weaken enemy morale.

Search and Destroy Missions

U.S. military strategy targeting Vietcong in villages, often harming civilians.

Tet Offensive (1968)

Massive Vietcong attack that shocked Americans and turned public opinion against the war.

Walter Cronkite Report

Influential journalist declared the war a stalemate, swaying public opinion.

Johnson's Withdrawal (1968)

LBJ announced he wouldn't seek reelection and began de-escalation.

Democratic National Convention (1968)

Anti-war protests turned violent, exposing national division.

Vietnamization

Nixon's policy to gradually withdraw U.S. troops and shift responsibility to South Vietnam.

My Lai Massacre (1968)

U.S. troops killed hundreds of civilians, causing national outrage when exposed.

Kent State Shooting (1970)

National Guard killed four student protesters, deepening anti-war anger.

Pentagon Papers (1971)

Leaked documents showed government deception about war progress.

Christmas Bombing (1972)

Intense U.S. bombing to pressure North Vietnam into peace talks.

Paris Peace Accords (1973)

Agreement that ended U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Fall of Saigon (1975)

North Vietnamese captured the capital, marking the end of the war.

War Powers Act (1973)

Limited the president's ability to send troops without Congressional approval.

Port Huron Statement (1962)

SDS document calling for activism, civil rights, and anti-war action.

Protest Songs

Music by artists like Bob Dylan unified and inspired anti-war movements.

Draft Resistance / Burning Cards

Symbolic protest against the draft and U.S. war policy.

March on Washington (1965)

Major early anti-war protest led by students and activists.

Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam (1969)

Nationwide demonstration demanding U.S. withdrawal.