- North Vietnam allegedly attacked two US destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin.
- Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which gave President Lyndon Johnson broad authority to use military force in Vietnam.
2. Tet Offensive (1968)
- North Vietnam launched a massive surprise attack on South Vietnam.
- The offensive failed militarily, but it had a major impact on public opinion in the United States.
- The Tet Offensive convinced many Americans that the war was unwinnable.
3. My Lai massacre (1968)
- US troops massacred hundreds of civilians in the village of My Lai.
- The massacre was a major turning point in the war, as it further eroded public support for the war.
4. Paris Peace Accords (1973)
- The United States and North Vietnam signed a peace agreement that ended the war.
- The agreement called for a cease-fire, the withdrawal of US troops, and the release of prisoners of war.
5. Fall of Saigon (1975)
- North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam.
- The fall of Saigon marked the end of the Vietnam War.