It began in 1955 and would continue until the fall of Saigon two decades later.

The Vietnam War was a bloody Cold War-era conflict that claimed millions of lives and left countless soldiers and natives traumatised by what they had endured.

America's involvement in the region was triggered by one belief: that Communism was threatening to expand across the whole of South-East Asia.

U.S. infantrymen from the 1st Cavalry Division jump from a 'Huey' during the Vietnam War

1955: In October, South Vietnam declared itself the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), with newly elected Ngo Dinh Diem as president. He would be executed in a coup eight years later.



1960: An opposing faction, The National Liberation Front (NLF) - also called the Viet Cong - was established there.

The NLF, along with and Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) in North Vietnam - under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh - wanted to impose a communist system over the whole nation.



A U.S. soldier takes a Viet Cong suspect with him as he dashes to a waiting helicopter outside a village near Tam Ky

The United States, in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism, trained the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and provided military advisers to help fight Ho's guerillas.

1964: In August, a U.S. warship was attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin.



This led Congress to pass the South-East Asia Resolution which allowed President Lyndon Johnson to conduct military operations in the region without a declaration of war.



1965: On March 2, U.S. aircraft started bombing targets in Vietnam and the first troops arrived.



1968: The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launch the Tet Offensive, attacking about 100 South Vietnamese cities and towns.

On March 16, U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the town of Mai Lai, later known as the Mai Lai Massacre.



By December, America's troops in Vietnam reached 540,000.



1969: In July, President Nixon ordered the first of many U.S. troop withdrawals from Vietnam.



1970: In April, Nixon announced that U.S. troops would attack enemy locations in Cambodia. This news sparked nationwide protests, especially on college campuses.

Agent Orange: War crimes are said to have been committed by both sides and one of the most controversial aspects of the U.S. military effort was the widespread use of Agent Orange - which still damages crops and is said to cause disease in Vietnam today.

America dumped millions of gallons of Agent Orange - which has been linked to cancer, birth defects and other disabilities - and other herbicides on South Vietnam between 1962 and 1971

In July 1969, President Nixon ordered the first of many U.S. troop withdrawals from Vietnam

America's military dumped 20million gallons of the dioxin - which has been linked to cancer, birth defects and other disabilities - and other herbicides on about a quarter of South Vietnam between 1962 and 1971, decimating about five million acres of forest.

1972: After years of fighting and agonising negotiations, Nixon ordered the Christmas bombings.

That offensive paved the way for Nixon's Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to negotiate the January 1973 peace accords that called for a cease-fire and the release of prisoners, some of whom had been in captivity for nearly six years.

1973: U.S. troops are withdrawn.



1974: After a brief period of peace, North Vietnam recommenced hostilities.

1975: North Vietnamese captured Saigon on April 30, forcing South Vietnam’s surrender and reuniting the country with a one-party communist government.

Aftermath: The Hanoi government estimate that in 20 years of fighting, 4million civilians were killed across North and South Vietnam and a further 1.1million communist fighters died.

Police escort a demonstrator in Chicago during an anti-war protest in 1968

U.S. estimates claim that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers were killed and more than 58,000 U.S. soldiers died or were missing in action when the final troops pulled out.

The war itself gathered heavy opposition in the States and soldiers have since recalled being told by superiors to remove their uniforms before landing back home to avoid being accosted by campaigners.



Vietnam finally normalised relations with the U.S. in 1995.