Chronology

January

President Nixon, in his State of the Union address, declares that the end of the Vietnam War is a major goal of United States policy.

The United States command in Saigon announces the bombing of an antiaircraft missile base 90 miles inside North Vietnam in retaliation for North Vietnam's firing on an unarmed American reconnaissance plane. In the retaliatory raid, an American jet ~.s downed by enemy fire, and later, a rescue helicopter is also destroyed.

February

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee issues a report that casts doubt on whether the South Vietnamese Army, once the American combat troops are withdrawn, would be capable of withstanding a heavy North Vietnamese attack.

The Democratic Policy Council considers publishing a platform advocating the withdrawal of all American troops from Vietnam within 18 months, the strongest anti-war position ever taken by the Democrats.

Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird says the "Vietnamization program is working and the withdrawal of troops can continue despite a stalemate at Paris.

Henry Kissinger begins secret talks in Paris.

March

Cambodians riot against the presence of the Vietcong and North Vietnamese troops in their country.

The United States Army charges 14 officers with suppressing information about the alleged mass killing of civilians two years earlier at My Lai.

Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Chief of State of Cambodia, is overthrown. Power is seized by Lieut. Gen. Lon Nol.

April

Operation Texas Star continues the coordinated allied operations of Randolph Glen.

Vietnam with a series of coordinated ground attacks and shelling.

American officials are concerned about events in Cambodia, and believe the North Vietnamese and Vietcong have effectively secured their sanctuaries in eastern Cambodia during the recent fighting there.

President Nixon pledges to withdraw 150,000 more troops from Vietnam over the next year.

The United States military suspends the use of the defoliant Agent Orange.

President Nixon sends United States combat troops and B—52 bombers into Cambodia to destroy North Vietnamese and Vietcong sanctuaries and supplies.

May

The United States and South ~Vietnam drive into the Fishhook area of Cambodia in an effort to destroy the Comunist base known as the Central Office for South Vietnam, or COSVN.

United States planes bomb North Vietnamese supply dumps and other targets.

The U.S. Defense Department announces the end of "large—scale" air raids in the North. It warns that small raids may be conducted if United States reconnaissance planes are attacked.

The United States operation in Cambodia opens up two more fronts, bringing the number of concurrent operations to six.

A peaceful rally is held by the White House, with the crowd asking for the withdrawal of the United States military forces from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

South Vietnamese gunboats sail up the Mekong River into Cambodia, with American advisers aboard.

South Vietnamese troops capture a large rubber plantation in Cambodia.

The North Vietnamese attack the resort city of Da Lat in the most serious attack since the Tet Offensive of 1968 June President Nixon calls the allied drive into Cambodia successful and announces resumption of the withdrawal of American troops from South Vietnam. June President Nixon calls the allied drive into Cambodia successful and announces resumption of the withdrawal of American troops from South Vietnam. United States forces are withdrawing from Cambodia, but South Vietnamese troops remain. Intelligence experts fear that the Cambodian incursion may have helped further unite communists in Indochina and brought them closer to China. The U.S. Senate adopts the long-debated Cooper-Church amendment to limit Presidential action in Cambodia without Congressional approval. July As peace talks are scheduled to begin again, President Nixon appears to be taking a stiffer stand on Vietnam. August American journalists report that United States planes are flying bombing missions in Cambodia. Secretary of Defense Laird denies that the United States is supporting Cambodian troops. September Operation Jefferson Glenn/Op Ord 13-70 begins in coordination with ARVN in Thua Thien Province. This is the last major operation in which United States ground troops participate. October President Nixon urges Hanoi and the Vietcong to join the allies in a standstill cease-fire throughout Indochina. He also suggests widening peace talks to include Cambodia and Laos. United States and South Vietnamese officials in Saigon claim that as Vietnamization has progressed, security has improved in large parts of the country and the effectiveness of the South Vietnamese Army has increased. These officials feel that America has not kept up with the realities of Vietnam. November The U.S. Special Forces make a surprise raid on Son Tay Prison Camp, 23 milesfrom Hanoi, in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue prisoners of war. The camp was discovered to be empty. Hanoi radio reports "wave after wave" of United States bombers attacked targets in North Vietnam. December The Nixon Administration is threatening to resume the bombing of North Vietnam, showing a growing conviction that the agreement Hanoi made with President Johnson in 1968 has become disadvantageous to the American military effort in Vietnam. A study of defoliation in Vietnam shows catastrophic destruction of vegetation in some parts of the country. United States troop strength at year's end is 334,000.

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