5 Nov 69
5 Nov 69
5 Nov 69
5 Nov 69
9 Nov 69
9 Nov 69
9 Nov 69
The 'Mobilization' peace demonstration draws an estimated
250,000 in Washington for the largest anti-war protest in U.S. history.
For the first time, the U.S. Army publicly discusses events
surrounding the My Lai massacre.
17 Nov 69
7 Dec 69
7 Dec 69
7 Dec 69
The first draft lottery since World War II is held in
New York City. Each day of the year is assigned a number. Those with birthdays
on days with low numbers will likely be drafted.
President Nixon orders an additional 50,000 soldiers out
of Vietnam.
Battle of Thien Giao, Thien Giao
District, Binh Thuan Province. 1400: 1/50(M) Recon Platoon fired on by
VC force twice its size with machine guns, 60mm mortars, etc. while mine
sweeping a road. While one section including attached 81mm mortar track)
set up a base of fire, the lead section deployed in a line and swept towards
the enemy firing 50's and M60; the enemy broke and ran, leaving 15 enemy
KIA and 7 CIA, including a female platoon leader. After action information
revealed the VC were planning on ambushing a RF/PF platoon patrolling
the from the opposide direction, and were unaware that US mechanized infantry
were in the area.
A frustrated Henry Cabot Lodge quits his post as chief
U.S. negotiator at the Paris peace talks.
America's fighting strength in Vietnam has been reduced
by 115,000 men. 40,024 Americans have now been killed in Vietnam. Over
the next few years, the South Vietnamese Army will be boosted to over
500,000 men in accordance with 'Vietnamization' of the war in which they
will take over the fighting from Americans.
14 Jan 70
14 Jan 70
14 Jan 70
18-26 Jan 70
C Company, 1/50(M) Infantry finds
largest rice cache of the war (>140 tons) in separate 500lb to 2 ton
caches in Binh Thuan/Lam Dong Provinces. NVA sends two battalions to stop
them. With daily (and nightly) contacts US casualties during the operation
were 2 KIA and 47 WIA. A significant amount of backlogged rice starts
a successful "rice for weapons and intelligence" Civic Affairs operation.
26 Jan 70
20 Jan 70
20 Jan 70
20 Jan 70
B-52 bombers strike the Ho Chi Minh trail in retaliation
for the increasing number of Viet Cong raids throughout the South.
20 Feb 70
While official peace talks remain deadlocked in Paris,
behind the scenes Henry Kissinger begins secret talks with North Vietnam's
Le Duc Tho, which will go on for two years.
Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia is deposed by General Lon
Nol while out of the country. In exile in China, Sihanouk aligns with
Cambodian Communists led by Pol Pot, known as the Khmer Rouge, in an effort
to oust Lon Nol's regime. Pol Pot capitalizes on Prince Sihanouk's prestige
and popularity to increase support for the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot will later
oust Lon Nol and begin radical "reforms" that result in the
deaths of 2,000,000 people (25 percent of the Cambodia's population) from
starvation, overwork and systematic executions.
19 Mar 70
19 Mar 70
19 Mar 70
19 Mar 70
March 20, 1970 - Cambodian troops under Gen. Lon Nol attack
Khmer Rouge and North Vietnamese forces inside Cambodia. At the White
House, Nixon and top aides discuss plans to assist Lon Nol's pro-American
regime.
20 Mar 70
20 Mar 70
30 Mar 70
The U.S. Army brings murder charges against Captain Ernest
L. Medina concerning the massacre of Vietnamese civilians at My Lai in
March of 1968.
Battle of Song Mao. Three battalions
of NVA sappers launched an attack on the MACV compound and the base of
the Blackhawks (2nd Squadron, 1st Air Cavalry) at Song Mao, with over
100 81mm mortar rounds destroying the ammo dump and 50% of the fuel depot.
2-1 Cav and 44 ARVN Regt (-) engaged the enemy in a day long contact,
killing 151 enemy and capturing 14 at a cost of 8 KIA (2 US, 2 ARVN and
4 civilians) and 39 WIA (34 US, 5 ARVN). At the time of the attack C Co.,
1st Bn (Mech), 50th Inf was patrolling some 40 kilometers away with an
OPCON company of the 44th ARVN Regiment and saw the night sky over Song
Mao light up and heard a rumble like distant thunder. As the closest U.S.
combat unit, C/1/50 executed a night movement to contact in support of
Song Mao and established a blocking force in the Le Hong Fong Forest to
wipe up enemy survivors.
3 Apr 70
Paul McCartney publicly announces that he has left the
Beatles because of "... personal, business and musical differences."
Unbeknownst to many in the public, this followed John Lennon's September
20, 1969 private announcement to the others that he was leaving the band.
Lennon's announcement never made the press for biusiness and contractual
reasons.
President Nixon announces the withdrawal of another 150,000
Americans from Vietnam within a year.
21 Apr 70
21 Apr 70
22 Apr 70
22 Apr 70
22 Apr 70
President Nixon stuns Americans by announcing a U.S. and South Vietnamese incursion into Cambodia in response to continuing Communist gains against Lon Nol's forces. The incursion is and is also intended to weaken overall NVA military strength as a prelude to U.S. departure from Vietnam.