World History Timeline

Timeline

60 events

29th century BCE

  1. c. 2879 BCE★★★★★

    Legendary founding of Văn Lang by the Hùng kings

    According to Vietnamese historiographical tradition, the Hồng Bàng dynasty was founded in 2879 BCE and the Hùng kings ruled Văn Lang; the date is legendary.

    DynastyPolitics· Vietnam

3rd century BCE

  1. c. 257 BCE – c. 179 BCE★★★★★

    An Dương Vương founds Âu Lạc

    Thục Phán (An Dương Vương) unites the Âu Việt and Lạc Việt into the kingdom of Âu Lạc, with its capital at Cổ Loa; 257 BCE is the traditional date.

    PoliticsDynasty· Vietnam

2nd century BCE

  1. c. 179 BCE★★★★★

    Nanyue conquers Âu Lạc

    Zhao Tuo, king of Nanyue, conquers Âu Lạc and incorporates it into Nanyue; traditionally dated to 179 BCE.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam, China

1st century

  1. c. 1st century★★★★★

    Rise of the kingdom of Funan

    Funan emerges in the lower Mekong region, becoming a hub of maritime trade between India and China.

    PoliticsEconomy· Cambodia, Vietnam

2nd century

  1. c. 192★★★★★

    Founding of Linyi (Champa)

    A revolt against Han rule in Rinan commandery founds the kingdom of Linyi, the precursor of Champa in central Vietnam.

    Politics· Vietnam

6th century

  1. 544★★★★★

    Lý Bí founds Vạn Xuân

    After expelling the Liang, Lý Bí proclaims himself Emperor Lý Nam Đế of the state of Vạn Xuân.

    DynastyPolitics· Vietnam

10th century

  1. 905★★★★★

    Khúc Thừa Dụ establishes self-rule

    Taking advantage of Tang decline, Khúc Thừa Dụ seizes Tống Bình and takes the title of military governor, beginning Vietnamese self-rule.

    Politics· Vietnam
  2. 939★★★★★

    Ngô Quyền proclaims himself king

    After his victory at Bạch Đằng, Ngô Quyền proclaims himself king with his capital at Cổ Loa, inaugurating lasting independence.

    DynastyPolitics· Vietnam
  3. c. 944 – 968★★★★★

    Anarchy of the 12 Warlords

    After the decline of the Ngô dynasty, the country fragments among rival warlords until Đinh Bộ Lĩnh reunifies it in 968.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam
  4. 968★★★★★

    Đinh Bộ Lĩnh founds Đại Cồ Việt

    Đinh Bộ Lĩnh ends the Anarchy of the 12 Warlords, takes the throne and names the state Đại Cồ Việt, with its capital at Hoa Lư.

    DynastyPolitics· Vietnam
  5. 979★★★★★

    Assassination of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh

    Emperor Đinh Tiên Hoàng and his eldest son Đinh Liễn are assassinated at the capital Hoa Lư.

    DeathPolitics· Vietnam

11th century

  2. 1054★★★★★

    Country renamed Đại Việt

    Emperor Lý Thánh Tông renames the country from Đại Cồ Việt to Đại Việt, the name used for most of the following centuries.

    Politics· Vietnam

14th century

  1. 1306★★★★★

    Princess Huyền Trân marries the king of Champa

    Princess Huyền Trân marries King Jaya Simhavarman III of Champa, who cedes the districts of Ô and Lý (around modern Quảng Trị and Huế) to Đại Việt.

    PoliticsTreaty· Vietnam
  2. 1397★★★★★

    Citadel of the Hồ dynasty built

    Hồ Quý Ly builds the stone citadel of Tây Đô in Thanh Hóa, later a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2011).

    ArtPolitics· Vietnam
  3. 1400★★★★★

    Hồ Quý Ly founds the Hồ dynasty

    Hồ Quý Ly deposes the Trần, founds the Hồ dynasty, renames the country Đại Ngu and launches sweeping reforms.

    DynastyPolitics· Vietnam

15th century

  2. 1460 – 1497★★★★★

    Accession of Lê Thánh Tông

    Lê Thánh Tông takes the throne; his reign (1460–1497) is regarded as a golden age of Đại Việt, with major administrative and legal reforms.

    Politics· Vietnam

16th century

17th century

  1. 1698★★★★★

    Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh establishes Gia Định

    Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, sent by the Nguyễn lord, organises the administration of Gia Định; the year is often taken as the founding of Saigon.

    Politics· Vietnam

18th century

19th century

  1. 1804★★★★★

    The name Việt Nam adopted

    Emperor Gia Long adopts the name Việt Nam for the country, with Qing approval.

    Politics· Vietnam
  3. 1867★★★★★

    France annexes western Cochinchina

    France seizes Vĩnh Long, An Giang and Hà Tiên, completing the colony of French Cochinchina.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam, France
  4. October 1887★★★★★

    Formation of French Indochina

    France creates the Indochinese Union of Cochinchina, Annam, Tonkin and Cambodia; Laos is added in 1893.

    Politics· Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, France

20th century

  1. 1905 – 1909★★★★★

    Đông Du movement

    Phan Bội Châu organises sending young Vietnamese to study in Japan to prepare for the independence struggle.

    PoliticsCulture· Vietnam, Japan
  2. 1907★★★★★

    Tonkin Free School

    Reformist scholars open the Tonkin Free School in Hanoi to promote modern learning and the quốc ngữ script; the French close it within the year.

    CulturePolitics· Vietnam
  3. June 5, 1911★★★★★

    Nguyễn Tất Thành leaves Vietnam

    Nguyễn Tất Thành (later Hồ Chí Minh) leaves Saigon as a kitchen hand aboard the Amiral Latouche-Tréville, bound for France.

    Politics· Vietnam, France
  5. February 3, 1930★★★★★

    Founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam

    A conference chaired by Nguyễn Ái Quốc (Hồ Chí Minh) in Hong Kong merges Vietnamese communist groups into the Communist Party of Vietnam.

    Politics· Vietnam, Hong Kong
  6. May 19, 1941★★★★★

    Founding of the Việt Minh

    At Pác Bó, Hồ Chí Minh presides over the founding of the League for the Independence of Vietnam (Việt Minh).

    PoliticsRevolution· Vietnam
  7. March 9, 1945★★★★★

    Japanese coup in French Indochina

    Japan overthrows the French administration in Indochina; Bảo Đại then proclaims the Empire of Vietnam with Trần Trọng Kim as prime minister.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam, Japan, France
  8. August 1945★★★★★

    Abdication of Bảo Đại

    Bảo Đại, the last Nguyễn emperor, abdicates and hands the imperial seal and sword to the revolutionary government at Huế, ending the monarchy.

    PoliticsDynasty· Vietnam
  9. September 2, 1945★★★★★

    Vietnamese Declaration of Independence

    Hồ Chí Minh reads the Declaration of Independence at Ba Đình Square, proclaiming the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

    PoliticsRevolution· Vietnam
  10. 1949★★★★★

    State of Vietnam established

    France establishes the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with former emperor Bảo Đại as head of state.

    Politics· Vietnam, France
  11. 1953 – 1956★★★★★

    Land reform in North Vietnam

    A land reform campaign in the North redistributes land, accompanied by many executions; the government later acknowledges errors and launches a rectification in 1956.

    PoliticsEconomy· Vietnam
  12. 1954 – 1955★★★★★

    Operation Passage to Freedom

    During the 300-day free-movement period after the Geneva Accords, roughly 800,000 to one million people, many of them Catholics, move from North to South Vietnam.

    Politics· Vietnam, United States, France
  13. October 10, 1954★★★★★

    Việt Minh takes over Hanoi

    The Vietnam People's Army takes control of Hanoi as French forces withdraw under the Geneva Accords.

    Politics· Vietnam, France
  14. October 26, 1955★★★★★

    Proclamation of the Republic of Vietnam

    After the 23 October referendum deposing Bảo Đại, Ngô Đình Diệm proclaims the Republic of Vietnam with himself as president.

    Politics· Vietnam
  15. December 20, 1960★★★★★

    National Liberation Front founded

    The National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Viet Cong) is founded to oppose the South Vietnamese government.

    PoliticsWar· Vietnam
  16. June 11, 1963★★★★★

    Self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức

    Monk Thích Quảng Đức burns himself to death in Saigon in protest at the Diệm government's treatment of Buddhists; the photograph shocks the world.

    ReligionPolitics· Vietnam
  17. November 1, 1963 – November 2, 1963★★★★★

    1963 South Vietnamese coup

    Generals led by Dương Văn Minh overthrow President Ngô Đình Diệm, who is killed with his brother Ngô Đình Nhu the next day.

    Politics· Vietnam, United States
  18. August 2, 1964 – August 7, 1964★★★★★

    Gulf of Tonkin incident

    A clash between USS Maddox and North Vietnamese torpedo boats leads Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, enabling US escalation.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam, United States
  19. March 29, 1973★★★★★

    Last US combat troops leave Vietnam

    The last US combat units leave South Vietnam under the terms of the Paris Peace Accords.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam, United States
  20. c. 1975 – c. 1995★★★★★

    Vietnamese boat people

    Hundreds of thousands of people flee Vietnam by sea after 1975; many die at sea and others are resettled, mostly in Western countries.

    Politics· Vietnam, United States, Australia, Canada, France, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
  21. April 30, 1975★★★★★

    Fall of Saigon

    North Vietnamese forces enter the Independence Palace; the Republic of Vietnam surrenders, ending the Vietnam War.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam, United States
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