World History Timeline

Timeline

204 events

20th century

  1. 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
  2. September 16, 1963★★★★★

    Formation of Malaysia

    Malaya unites with Singapore, Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak to form Malaysia.

    Politics· Malaysia, Singapore
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 1965 – 1966★★★★★

    Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66

    After the failed 30 September Movement coup, the army and militias kill hundreds of thousands of alleged communists, paving the way for Suharto's rise.

    Politics· Indonesia
  6. March 2, 1965 – November 2, 1968★★★★★

    Operation Rolling Thunder

    A sustained US aerial bombing campaign against North Vietnam.

    War· Vietnam, United States
  7. March 8, 1965★★★★★

    US Marines land at Đà Nẵng

    Two battalions of US Marines land at Đà Nẵng, the first American ground combat units deployed to Vietnam.

    War· Vietnam, United States
  8. August 9, 1965★★★★★

    Singapore becomes independent

    Singapore separates from Malaysia and becomes an independent republic led by Lee Kuan Yew.

    Politics· Singapore, Malaysia
  9. November 14, 1965 – November 18, 1965★★★★★

    Battle of Ia Drang

    The first major battle between US Army forces and the North Vietnamese army, fought in the Central Highlands.

    War· Vietnam, United States
  10. August 8, 1967★★★★★

    Founding of ASEAN

    Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand sign the Bangkok Declaration, founding the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

    PoliticsTreaty· Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
  11. January 21, 1968 – July 9, 1968★★★★★

    Battle of Khe Sanh

    North Vietnamese forces besiege the US Marine base at Khe Sanh in Quảng Trị; US forces abandon the base in July.

    War· Vietnam, United States
  12. January 30, 1968 – September 1968★★★★★

    Tet Offensive

    North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces attack more than 100 cities and towns in the South; despite heavy losses, the offensive erodes US public support for the war.

    War· Vietnam, United States
  13. March 16, 1968★★★★★

    Mỹ Lai massacre

    US soldiers of Charlie Company kill hundreds of unarmed civilians at Sơn Mỹ, Quảng Ngãi; the killings become public in 1969.

    War· Vietnam, United States
  14. September 2, 1969★★★★★

    Death of Hồ Chí Minh

    Hồ Chí Minh, President of North Vietnam, dies in Hanoi.

    Death· Vietnam
  15. March 30, 1972 – October 1972★★★★★

    Easter Offensive

    North Vietnam launches a large conventional offensive on three fronts in the South, including prolonged fighting at Quảng Trị.

    War· Vietnam, United States
  16. December 18, 1972 – December 29, 1972★★★★★

    Operation Linebacker II

    The United States carries out intensive B-52 bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong for twelve days, known in Vietnam as the "Điện Biên Phủ in the air".

    War· Vietnam, United States
  17. January 27, 1973★★★★★

    Paris Peace Accords

    The United States, North and South Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government sign an agreement ending direct US involvement in the war.

    Treaty· Vietnam, United States, France
  18. 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
  19. January 19, 1974★★★★★

    Battle of the Paracel Islands

    Chinese naval forces clash with the South Vietnamese navy and take control of all of the Paracel Islands.

    War· Vietnam, China
  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. March 10, 1975 – April 30, 1975★★★★★

    1975 Spring Offensive

    Beginning with the attack on Buôn Ma Thuột, North Vietnamese forces advance across the South, leading to South Vietnam's collapse on 30 April 1975.

    War· Vietnam
  22. April 17, 1975 – January 7, 1979★★★★★

    Khmer Rouge take Phnom Penh; Cambodian genocide begins

    The Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh and forcibly empty the cities; Pol Pot's regime causes the deaths of an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people.

    RevolutionPolitics· Cambodia
  23. 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
  24. December 7, 1975★★★★★

    Indonesian invasion of East Timor

    Indonesia invades East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, beginning a 24-year occupation.

    War· Timor-Leste, Indonesia
  27. December 25, 1978 – 1989★★★★★

    Cambodian–Vietnamese War

    Following Khmer Rouge border attacks, Vietnam invades Cambodia, takes Phnom Penh on 7 January 1979 and overthrows the Khmer Rouge; Vietnamese troops remain until 1989.

    War· Vietnam, Cambodia
  28. February 17, 1979 – March 16, 1979★★★★★

    Sino-Vietnamese War

    China attacks Vietnam's northern border provinces and withdraws after about a month; both sides claim victory.

    War· Vietnam, China
  29. February 22, 1986 – February 25, 1986★★★★★

    People Power Revolution

    Mass peaceful demonstrations in Manila oust President Ferdinand Marcos and bring Corazon Aquino to power.

    RevolutionPolitics· Philippines
  30. December 1986★★★★★

    Vietnam launches Đổi Mới

    The 6th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam adopts Đổi Mới, shifting to a socialist-oriented market economy.

    EconomyPolitics· Vietnam
  31. March 14, 1988★★★★★

    Johnson South Reef skirmish

    Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces clash at Johnson South Reef in the Spratly Islands; about 64 Vietnamese sailors are killed.

    War· Vietnam, China
  32. August 8, 1988★★★★★

    8888 Uprising in Burma

    Nationwide pro-democracy protests in Burma are violently suppressed by the military; Aung San Suu Kyi emerges as an opposition leader.

    RevolutionPolitics· Myanmar
  33. September 1989★★★★★

    Vietnam withdraws from Cambodia

    Vietnam completes the withdrawal of its troops from Cambodia, opening the way to the Cambodian peace process.

    WarPolitics· Vietnam, Cambodia
  35. April 1992★★★★★

    1992 Constitution of Vietnam

    The National Assembly adopts a new constitution enshrining the Đổi Mới reforms and a multi-sector economy.

    Politics· Vietnam
  38. February 3, 1994★★★★★

    US lifts trade embargo on Vietnam

    President Bill Clinton announces the lifting of the US trade embargo on Vietnam.

    EconomyPolitics· Vietnam, United States
  40. July 28, 1995★★★★★

    Vietnam joins ASEAN

    Vietnam becomes the seventh member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

    PoliticsTreaty· Vietnam
  41. May 21, 1998★★★★★

    Fall of Suharto

    Amid the Asian financial crisis and mass protests, President Suharto resigns after 31 years in power, opening Indonesia's Reformasi era.

    PoliticsRevolution· Indonesia

21st century

  1. May 20, 2002★★★★★

    Independence of Timor-Leste

    Following the 1999 referendum and a period of UN administration, East Timor becomes an independent state.

    Politics· Timor-Leste, Indonesia
  2. December 26, 2004★★★★★

    Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

    A magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra triggers tsunamis that kill around 230,000 people across many countries.

    Disaster· Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand
  4. April 2008★★★★★

    Launch of VINASAT-1

    Vietnam's first communications satellite is launched into orbit.

    Technology· Vietnam
  5. August 2008★★★★★

    Expansion of Hanoi

    Hà Tây province and several neighbouring districts are merged into Hanoi, roughly tripling the capital's area.

    Politics· Vietnam
  6. October 4, 2013★★★★★

    Death of Võ Nguyên Giáp

    General Võ Nguyên Giáp, commander at Điện Biên Phủ, dies in Hanoi aged 102.

    Death· Vietnam
  7. February 1, 2021★★★★★

    2021 Myanmar coup d'état

    Myanmar's military overthrows the civilian government and detains Aung San Suu Kyi, leading to mass protests and civil war.

    Politics· Myanmar
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