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Ho Chi Minh and his People's Congress create the National Liberation Committee of Vietnam to form a provisional government, and Japan surrenders power to Viet Minh.
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Minh was emboldened by the Japanese and the American Declaration of Independence's promise of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" for all.
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The major powers banded together to reclaim Vietnam for France because it didn't have the means to alone. The Chinese invaded the North above the 16th parallel. The British invaded the South and rearmed French forces.
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After talks between the French and Ho Chi Minh's people, the French signed an agreement that allowed French forces to replace Chinese forces in the North if France recognized Vietnam's sovereignty within the French Union.
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After the British pulled out of Vietnam and French troops replaced them, the Viet Minh began guerrilla attacks against the French throughout Vietnam. The war spread to Laos and Cambodia. Chinese Communists aided the Viet Minh when they ran low on weapons.
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China and the Soviet Union backed Ho Chi Minh's Republic of Vietnam over France's claim to the territory.
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The United States and Great Britain sided with the French.
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The NLF (a.k.a. the Viet Cong) to unite all anti-GVN (Government of Vietnam) activists, including non-communists. They placed emphasis on American withdrawal from Vietnamese affairs, land reform and liberalization of GVN, and coalition government and the neutralization of Vietnam.
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The French Surrendered to the Viet Minh after the battle of Dien Bien Phu.
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Diem rigged the election with American advisement, and was credited with 98.2% of the vote. Diem claimed presidency over the new Republic of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh and other communist officials won over 99% of the vote in North Vietnam.
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14 nations, including the United States, China, The Soviet Union, South Vietnam and North Vietnam, all recognized Laos as a neutral state and signed an agreement to respect it as such.
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President Diem and his brother were overthrown and executed. The United States' CIA did not oppose this plan of action by South Vietnamese generals, and continued to aid them.
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They sent 10,000 troops using the invasion passageways built through Laos and Cambodia. The next year there were 100,000 troops sent out to South Vietnam.
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This was done after several attacks against US Air Force bases, as the South Vietnamese army had little to defend with. This marked the beginning of the American ground war.
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The NVA and Viet Cong broke the truce during the Tet (Lunar New Year) and launched the largest battle of the war. It was a significant victory for the allies.
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These talks were held in Paris. The talks stagnated for 5 months until Johnson decided to halt all bombings in North Vietnam.
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The Paris Peace Accords on "Ending the War and Restoring Vietnam" were signed by Nixon and Thieu, ending U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
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There were still U.S. naval and air forces in the Gulf of Tonkin, Guam, and Thailand.
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Clashes between the Viet Cong and South Vietnam had ensued and the South lost both territory and soliders. The Oil Price Shock of October 1973 significantly damaged the South Vietnamese economy.
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Nixon televised a speech after Thieu tearfully resigned on the 21st of April, 1975. Operation Frequent Wind was carried out to remove as many American officials and civilians from Saigon before it was overtaken by the North Vietnamese army.
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Saigon was easily overtaken by the NVA, and the Viet Cong flag was raised above the Independence Palace. President Minh surrendered.
