Vietnam War Timeline: 1968

Jan.

Khe Sanh is besieged by the NVA

30^th Jan.

During the Tet holiday, V.C. and NVA mount major offensive across most of the country.

The U.S. Embassy in Saigon is attacked by VC sappers.

Hue is captured by the VC / NVA and will not finish until 25^th Feb.

General Leonard F. Chapman replaces General Wallace M. Greene as commandant of the Marine Corp.

6-7^th Feb.

NVA use Soviet built light tanks on the battlefield for the first time when they overrun the Special Forces camp at Lang Vei.

18^th Feb.

3^rd Brigade, 82^nd Airborne Division deploys to II Corps

March

My Lai massacre by members of the 1^st Battalion, 20^th Inf. Americal Division

6^th April

Siege of Khe Sanh combat base is lifted when the Air Cavalry breaks through.

10^th May

Peace talks start in Paris.

27^th May

Thailand announces it is to dispatch a further 5,000 troops to Vietnam.

27^th June

Marines start to withdraw from Khe Sanh.

July

General Abrams takes over MACV from Westmoreland, who returns to Washington D.C. as the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army.

26^th–29^th Aug.

Anti War riots in Chicago at the Democratic Party’s national conference

31^st Oct.

Johnson orders a cessation of bombing of North Vietnam. The NLF and South Vietnam are allowed to take part in the Paris Peace talks.

31^st Dec.

536,000 U.S. military personnel in Vietnam.