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1945- Ho Chi Minh declares independence for Vietnam from the French after being a French colony.

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1946-1950: Indo China War begins after relations between France and Ho Chi Minh deteriorate. French then seek to regain the territory they once owned. Soviets and China offer weapons to communist Vietminh. United States pledges 15 million dollars to the French to help fight the communist party.

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1954- As concerns grew In regards to the spread of communism, President Eisenhower cites Domino Theory in regards to weak nations succumbing to communism. Geneva Conventions begin which would ultimately decide how Vietnam would be partitioned.

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1955- Ngo Dinh Diem wins rigged election against the majority favorite candidate, Bao Di. Many Vietnamese believed Diem, being a catholic and educated in the U.S. held more westernized ideologies for Vietnam. This consequently increased support for Ho Chi Minhs communist party, the Vietminh. The Vietcong is soon developed, a faction of the Vietminh.

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1956-1962: Support for Vietnams communist party the Vietminh, lead by Ho Chi Minh continues to gain support.. Weapons are moved along Ho Chi Minh trail from North to South Vietnam. This trail would later be used as a calculated source of guerrilla attacks. Despite growing disapproval of Diem by the Vietnamese, Kennedy continues to support Diems government by sending federal aid, and troops as agents.

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1963- Ngo Dinh Diem & President Kennedy are both assassinated. The efforts of the two leaders to support the Vietnamese Republic begin to dissipate as the Vietminh and Vietcong grow stronger in numbers.

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1964- Gulf of Tonkin. President LBJ states an American ship was attacked by the Communist Vietminh on the high seas. This leads to an immediate escalation of troop numbers in Vietnam.

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1965- American troop levels in Vietnam reach 200,000. American soldiers continue to fight the Vietcong, and Vietminh. U.S. troops fight in a foreign terrain, and are engaged in a guerrilla war.

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1966-1967: American troops continue to fight a war of attrition, without making any territorial progress.

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1968- General Westmoreland asks for an additional 208,000 men.

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1969-1974: American protests of the Vietnam War grows in numbers and in strength.

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1972- Nixon cuts troop levels by 70,000 men, and slowly begins to withdraw, after thousands of men had perished in an effort to stop the spread of communism.

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1975- the last of U.S. troops leave Vietnam. Ho Chi Minhs party has not been defeated. After thousands of lives were lost, the war had not been declared lost nor won, but simply over.