President Kennedy gives a press conference on the situation in Southeast Asia. He stands at a podium next to a large map of Vietnam showing the areas held by communist rebels.

The Vietnam War pitted communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later.

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War lasted about 40 years and involved several countries. Learn about Vietnam War protests, the Tet Offensive, the My Lai Massacre, the Pentagon Papers and more.

Vietnam War: Dates and Timeline | HISTORY

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1972

1984

1965

With months to spare, the Apollo 11 astronauts fulfilled late President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Back on earth, 1969 was also the year of the Woodstock music festival, the Stonewall riots for gay rights and the Tate-LaBianca murders by followers of Charles Manson. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Love Bug" topped Hollywood box office, and a movie ticket cost about $1.50.	

1969

1971

1973

The turbulence of 1968 began on New Year’s Day with the Tet Offensive, shocking Americans with the unwinnable realities of the Vietnam War. The assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy darkened the national mood and deepened domestic unrest. Mass protests erupted around the globe, from Chicago to Prague to France, Mexico and beyond. In space, Apollo 8 orbited the moon, while back on earth, “Laugh-In” topped TV ratings, “Hair” premiered on Broadway and McDonald’s debuted the iconic Big Mac.

1968

1975

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May 7

1966

1961

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May 9

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February 22

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March 7

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September 11

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March 17

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March 24

Discover what happened on November 16 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

Vietnam War ‑ This Day In History

U.S. provides support to beleaguered Cambodians

U.S. jets launch heaviest air raids of the war

1st Cavalry Division arrives in South Vietnam

Tet Offensive ends

President Kennedy increases military aid to Saigon

North Vietnamese launch ‘Ho Chi Minh Campaign’

North Vietnamese forces open a third front

173rd Airborne Brigade arrives in South Vietnam

Reporter breaks the news of secret bombing in Cambodia

Reporter breaks news of secret bombing in Cambodia

Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange win $180 million settlement

Pulitzer Prize‑winning photo “Burst of Joy” is taken