// BEGIN editorial data
 var i = 0;
var Bcol_vietnam_timeline = new Array();
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.sName = "Bcol_vietnam_timeline";
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.ID = "Bcol_vietnam_timeline";
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.ID_WB = 3607244;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.sPubDate = "12/2/2003 8:19:18 PM GMT";
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.mainsectionID = "NEWS"
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.navsectionID = "NEWS"
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.appFmt = 2;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.appWidth = 460;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.appHeader = "TIMELINE| The Vietnam wars, 1945-1975";
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.appFooter = "Source: MSNBC Research";
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.appNavStyle = 6;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.appLayout = 1;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.headHeight = 40;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.copyHeight = 175;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline.copyMargin = 10;
 Bcol_vietnam_timeline.Dir = -1;
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","1946-54: French-Indochina war","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "French colonial forces and mercenaries drawn primarily from demobilized German troops fight the Vietminh. After the 1949 communist victory in China's civil war, increasing amounts of aid from China and the Soviet Union begin to turn the tide against the French. U.S. aid and air power enlisted by France fails to turn the tide. France capitulates in after loss of the battle of Dien Bien Phu.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","1954: Partition","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "Geneva conference splits French Indo-China into four distinct nations: South and North Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Both South and North Vietnamese officials reject the partition engineered by the anti-communist West.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","1955: Rise of Diem","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "Ngo Dinh Diem deposes Bao Dai, Vietnam's traditional emperor and renounced Geneva treaty. ";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","1957: The Vietcong","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "A new force, the Vietcong, infiltrates South Vietnam to battle Diem regime and reunify the country.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","1958: U.S. advisors","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "U.S. military advisors begin to work with Diem's troops in the field. U.S. air power increasingly engaged in combat.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","1964: Tonkin Gulf","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "In a controversial encounter, U.S. naval forces claim they are attacked by North Vietnamese vessels in the Tonkin Gulf. Congress passes Tonkin Gulf resolution authorizing President Johnson to commit ground forces to combat. Shortly afterward, U.S. forces come ";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","1966: Troops reinforced","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "U.S. force level raised to 42,000 with heavy combat around Hue and Da Nang. U.S. bombers pound Hanoi and Haiphong.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","Jan. 1968: Tet Offensive","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army go on offensive throughout the country, including fighting in Saigon, shortly after President Johnson assures U.S. that its forces are winning the war.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","Jan. 1969: Talks begin","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "Official start of Paris Peace Talks between U.S. and North Vietnam.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","Sept. 1969: "Vietnamization:"","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "President Nixon orders phased withdrawal of U.S. forces. U.S. force level has peaked at just over 550,000. ";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","May 1970: Cambodia invaded","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "President Nixon authorizes secret bombing and ultimately invasion of neighboring Cambodia, arguing it has become a haven for North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces. ";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","Oct. 1970, Lon Nol","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "Cambodia's King Sihanouk having been deposed, Lon Nol proclaims the Khmer Republic, backed by the U.S. ";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","May 1971: Laos","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "U.S. and S. Vietnamese forces advance into Laos. ";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","March 1972: North on offensive","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "U.S. forces, drawn down to less than 70,000, stand by as North Vietnam launches major offensive against the south. Only U.S. air power and naval guns take part.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","Jan. 1973: Truce","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "Cease-fire agreed upon and all U.S. POWs released.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","Summer 1973: Khmer Rouge","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "Cambodian guerrillas of the Khmer Rouge sack Phnom Penh and begin a five year reign of terror that kills millions.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","Feb.-March 1973, Peace Conference","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "In Paris, terms of U.S. withdrawal and armistice are hammered out.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","April 1975: Surprise attack","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "North Vietnamese troops smash through armistice lines and head toward Saigon. South's army disintegrates quickly. U.S. does not intervene.";

Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i++] = new Array("","April 30, 1975","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
Bcol_vietnam_timeline[i-1].body = "North Vietnam captures Saigon.";

	// END editorial data