Formation of the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) and early insurgency (1960–1968)

1. National Liberation Front (NLF) is formed

   Dec 20, 1960Labels: National Liberation, Viet Cong

   • Britannica
   • HISTORY

2. NLF’s military force is formally recognized

   Feb 15, 1961Labels: North Vietnam, NLF Military

   • Britannica
   • LASV

3. People’s Revolutionary Party is created in the South

   Jan 1, 1962Labels: People's Revolutionary, Workers' Party

   • PRP
   • Britannica

4. Strategic Hamlet Program is formally launched

   Feb 3, 1962Labels: Strategic Hamlet, Ng nh

   • Vietnam Center

5. U.S. creates MACV to manage growing war

   Feb 8, 1962Labels: MACV, United States

   • State Dept
   • MACV

6. Battle of Ap Bac shows Viet Cong battlefield strength

   Jan 2, 1963Labels: Battle of, Viet Cong

   • Ap Bac

7. Buddhist crisis begins, weakening Diệm’s government

   May 8, 1963Labels: Buddhist Crisis, Hu

   • Buddhist Crisis
   • VWC

8. Diem is overthrown in a military coup

   Nov 1, 1963Labels: Ng nh, South Vietnamese

   • Britannica
   • 1963 Coup

9. Gulf of Tonkin incident accelerates U.S. escalation

   Aug 2, 1964Labels: Gulf of, U S

   • Tonkin
   • Britannica

10. Battle of Binh Gia marks larger-unit communist attacks

    Dec 28, 1964Labels: Battle of, Viet Cong

    • Binh Gia
    • HISTORY

11. Camp Holloway attack prompts U.S. retaliation and escalation

    Feb 7, 1965Labels: Camp Holloway, Viet Cong

    • Camp Holloway
    • VWC

12. Operation Rolling Thunder begins bombing North Vietnam

    Mar 2, 1965Labels: Operation Rolling, United States

    • Rolling Thunder

13. First U.S. ground combat troops land at Da Nang

    Mar 8, 1965Labels: Da Nang, U S

    • USMCRA
    • HISTORY

14. Tet Offensive begins, capping early NLF insurgency phase

    Jan 31, 1968Labels: Tet Offensive, Viet Cong

    • Britannica
    • VWC