turns down an offer of secret peace talks with North VietnamД§ Feb 65 - 'In the early hours of February 7th, 1965, the VC upped the ante when they launched a guerilla assault against the military barracks at Pleiku where US military advisors were housed. (and) assist any member or protocol state of the Southeast Asian Collective Defense Treaty (SEATO) requesting assistance.' US Senate voted (88-2) passed - Senator Wayne Morse (D-Oregon) and Senator Ernest Gruening (D-Alaska) voted against the resolution. Vietnamese boats at their basesД¤ Aug 64 - Later revealed in the 'Pentagon Papers': A cable from the US commander of the destroyer task force stated, 'No actual visual sighting.suggest complete evaluation before any further action.'Д§ Aug 64 - US Congress approves Gulf of Tonkin resolution affirming 'All necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States.to prevent further aggression. Turner Joy' are reported attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin (attacks 2 Aug + 4 Aug)Д¤ Aug 64 - US retaliatory strike destroyed 25 N. July 64 - Announcement states that US military contingent in Vietnam would increase 5,000 more to 21,000Дў Aug 64 - US Navy destroyers 'Maddox' and 'C. Jun 64 - Henry Cabot Lodge resigned as US ambassador to Saigon

One coup follows another and weakens the war effort Vietnamese President Diem and his brother are assassinated outside of Saigon. VietnamДў2 Dec 61 - SP4 James Davis of Livingston, Tennessee killed by Viet Cong (VC) later called by President Johnson 'The first American to fall in defense of our freedom in Vietnam'ДЎ5 May 62 - President Kennedy orders an immediate build-up of US troops in Thailand to a total of 5,000 due to Communist attacks in Laos and movement toward the Thailand borderДЎ Nov 63 - S.

aircraft carrier 'Core' arrives in Saigon with 33 helicopters and 400 air and ground crewmen assigned to operate them for S. advisers to South Vietnam to train the South Vietnamese ArmyДҐ Sep 56 - President Eisenhower tells a news conference that the French are 'involved in a hopelessly losing war in Indochina'ДЁ July 59 - Two Americans are killed and one wounded during a Viet Minh attack 20 miles north of SaigonДЎ3 May 61 - President Kennedy orders 100 'special forces' troops to S. military aid amounted to more than $500 million by 1951Д§ May 54 - Viet Minh overrun French fortress at Dien Bien PhuДЁ Sep 54 - Eight nations sign U.S.-sponsored SEATO treatyДЎ2 Feb 55 - President Eisenhower's administration sends the first U.S. arms aid to pro-French Vietnam arrivesДЎ951 - U.S. 1979 through 2000 entries are from the Associated Press.ДЎ0 Aug 50 - First shipload of U.S.

Congressional Quarterlies were used for most of the Congressional references. Outlined below is a political ' time line ' of the United States involvement in Indochina.

Vietnam war timeline