WAR IN VIETNAM Soldiers, politicians have found no lasting peace

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33814, 10 April 1975, Page 11

WAR IN VIETNAM Soldiers, politicians have found no lasting peace

The war in Vietnam has lasted for 30 years. Once the Japanese withdrew from Indo-China at the end of World War 11, the French attempt to re«enter their former colony was resisted by a nationalist movement, the Viet Minh, which had strong Communist support.

The Viet Minh did not succeed in beating the French; they made the price of holding Indo-China higher than the French Government and people were prepared to pay.

After the French withdrew in 1954 it remained to be decided whether the whole of Indo-China would fall under Communist rule, or whether the Viet Minh would govern only in North Vietnam where they had been the strongest. Thousands of anti-Communist Vietnamese fled from North to South Vietnam where a non-Communist State was set up. Independent States were also formed in the remaining parts of what had been French Indo-China—Laos and Cambodia. The United States was drawn into the fighting, first to help the French, and later to help South Vietnam, because of its fear of Communist advances after the Chinese Communist Party took power on IndoChina’s northern border in 1949. Responsibility for the development of the war is still subject to strenuous disputes. Russia, China and the United States, as well as many smaller countries including New Zealand, have helped to support participants in what sometimes appeared to be a series of civil wars. The outline of dates which follows will help to recall the course of a conflict which eventually spread to the Parliaments, streets, universities, and homes of the Western world. 1945 September 2.— Ho Chi Minh proclaims “Democratic Republic of Vietnam” in Hanoi. 1946 November 23. — French bombard Viet Minh positions; Communist retaliation leads to first Indo-china war. 1950 June 27. — President Truman sends 35-man military mission to help French forces in Indo-china. 1954 May 8. — French stronghold of Dien Bien Phu on the border of Laos and North Vietnam falls to Communists after long seige. Geneva conference on Indochina begins. July 7. — Vietnamese Emperor, Bao Dai, appoints Ngo Dinh Diem as Prime Minister of State of Vietnam. July 21. — Conference agrees to partition of Vietnam pending elections on reunification. Britain and Russia joint guarantors of treaty. October 24. — President Eisenhower offers economic aid to South Vietnam. 1955 February 12. — United States undertakes to train South Vietnamese Army. July. — South Vietnam refuses to take part in reunification elections on the grounds that free elections would be impossible to hold, or verify, in Communist North Vietnam. October. — Bao Dai deposed by referendum in South Vietnam. Diem wins and proclaims a republic. 1956 September. — Peasant uprising in North Vietnam suppressed by Communists with considerable loss ot life. 1959 May. — Politburo in Hanoi decrees full-scale “armed struggle” against Government of South Vietnam. 1960 December. — North Vietnam announces formation of National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Viet Cong). Terrorism in South Vietnam gradually increasing. 1961 December. — United States military advisers in South total 2000. 1962 International Control Commission censures North Vietnam for helping terrorists in the South, censures United States and Diem Governments for introducing war material there. 1963 June. — Buddhist majority in South Vietnam m rebellion against oppression by Roman Catholic Diem Government. Monks protest by burning themsehes to death in public. November 1. — Diem assassinated during a militarv coup. . December. — United States military' advisers total 15,000. 1964 New Zealand sends 35 engineers in non-somhat role to help South Vietnam. Auaust 2.— Two United States destroyers report attack'by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. „ . August 7 — United States Congress passes Gulf of Tonkm resolution giving the atS all necessarv measures to repel a nrevent against the forces of the United States and to pre'ent further aggression.” 'ovember 7 - First unit of North Vietnamese regular army, the 808th battalion, detected inside South Vietnam. 1965 Fokmarv President Johnston orders repeated defence an? protection of freedom of a brave people

who are under attack that is controlled and that is directed from outside their country.” May. — New Zealand announces that it will send artillery' unit to help South Vietnam,

June. — Steadier Government returns to South Vietnam under military rule of Air Vice-Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky.

June 8. — United States commanders in South Vietnam authorised to commit- 23,000 military advisers to combat against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese in South Vietnam. United States forces in South Vietnam reach 184,000 by end of year. September 23. — United States Ambassador Goldberg tells United Nations: “We seek only to insure the independence of South Vietnam . . . and opportunities for its people to determine their own future . . . by the principles of self-determination.”

1966 June 29. — United States begins bombing HanoiHaiphong area of North Vietnam. December 31. — United States forces in South Vietnam reach 385,000. Another 60,000 in Navy off shore and 33,000 in bases in Thailand. September. — General Thieu elected President of South Vietnam. 1967 October. — New Zealand increases troops in South Vietnam from 376 to 546. Australian contingent increased from 6300 to 8000. October 21-22. — Thousands of protestors march in Washington. Hundres arrested when Pentagon stormed. December. — United State's forces in South Vietnam reach 474,000. December 5. — Worst Communist atrocity of war to date. Montagnard village destroyed by flamethrowers leaving more than 200 women and children burned to death. 1968 January 30. — “Tet Offensive.” Viet Cong attack 30 provincial capitals in South Vietnam. Communists hold Hue for 25 days. Saigon attacked. United States Embassy occupied for six hours. - February' 24. — Government recaptures Hue after bitter street fighting. March 31. — President Johnston calls a halt to bombing over 90 per cent of North Vietnam and asks Hanoi for a peaceful response. President announces he will not seek re-election. May 10. — Preliminary peace talks between United States and North Vietnam open in Paris, but fighting continues. August 26-29. — Police and troops clash with 15,000 anti-war demonstrators in Chicago during Democratic Party convention. October 31. — President Johnston announces all bombing will end. Peace talks will be widened. November 3. — N.L.F. offers five-point peace plan for “broad national and' democratic coalition government”. 1969 January 18. — South Vietnam and Viet Cong join expanded peace talks in Paris. January 20. — President Nixon sworn into office. “The greatest honour history can bestow is the title of peace-maker. This honour now beckons America,” he says. April. — United States forces reach maximum strength in South Vietnam of 543,000. United States war dead reach 33,700 — more than in the Korean War. May 8. — N.L.F. offers 10-point plan to end, war including immediate withdrawal of all United States troops. May 14. — President Nixon proposes 8-point plan to end war including phased withdrawal of all foreign troops. July 8. — Withdrawal of United States combat troops begins. July 11. — President Thieu offers free elections under international supervision. July 25. — President Nixon propounds the doctrine that, except for a threat from a major power involving nuclear weapons, United States expects its Asian allies increasingly to handle their own defence. September 3. — Ho Chi Minh dies. Successors call for struggle to realise the dream of a united, Communist Vietnam. November 15. — 250.000 demonstrate in Washington against the war — the largest anti-war protest. 1970 April 30. — United States and South Vietnamese invade Communist sanctuaries in Cambodia. May 4. — Four students killed, nine wounded, at Kent State University. Ohio, when National Guard opens fire during a demonstration against Cambodian incursion. August 20. — New Zealand announces reduction in force in South Vietnam. 1971 May. —- New Zealand force reduced to one company. Gunners and Special Air Service units come home. December. — All New Zealand troops withdrawn except for small contingent to train South Vietnamese. 1972 January 25. • —President Nixon reveals secret peace talks have been going on for six months led by a Presidential adviser, Dr Kissinger. March 30. — North Vietnam launches biggest attack since 1968 across demilitarised zone in northern South Vietnam. April 15. — Intensive bombing of North Vietnam resumes for the first time since 1968. May 1. — Quang Tri. northernmost city in South Vietnam, falls to North Vietnamese. May 8, — President Nixon orders mining of Haiphong" and other North Vietnamese ports. August 11. — Last United States combat troops leave South Vietnam. October 26. — Hanoi announces tentative agreement has been reached in secret talks.

November I. —- President Thieu denounces proposed plan as “surrender”. December 18. — President Nixon orders heaviest bombing of war against North Vietnam. B-52s used for first time against Hanoi. 1973 January 8. — Peace talks resume. January 15. — President Nixon orders halt to all offensive operations against North Vietnam. January 27. — Peace pacts formally signed in Paris by United States, North Vietnam, South Vietnam and Viet Cong. Military conscription ended in United States. January 28. — Ceasefire begins in South Vietnam. February 12. — Release of United States prisoners of war begun by North Vietnam. March 29. — Last United States troops leave South Vietnam. Total United States dead in war 46,000. April 1. — Last of 1590 United States prisoners released. 1974 January 19. — China seizes Paracel Islands from South Vietnam after brief naval battle.

May. — North Vietnamese supported by tanks advance to within 20 miles of Saigon. Not driven off completely until November. By December much of Central Highlands under Communist control after more than a year of steady erosion of small Government posts. August. — United States Congress cuts aid to South Vietnam for 1974-75 to SUS7OO million, half of that asked for. September 1. — South Vietnam grounds many military aircraft to conserve fuel and ammunition. 1975 March 8. — Communists begin major offensive to capture last Government strongholds in Central Highlands. March 20. — Government begins to abandon all Highlands; Viet Cong announce capture of five whole provinces. March 21. — Communists attack Hue. March 26. — Da Nang, country's second-largest city, attacked. March 27. — Hue falls. Airlift of refugees from Da Nang begins. March 29. — Da Nang captured, the fourteenth provincial capital to fall in three weeks.