by Laura Lam
1941
Ho returns to Viet Nam in secret and begins to form the Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Viet Nam) to fight against the French and the Japanese. The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in December.
1944
Vo Nguyen Giap forms the Viet Minh army. This year marks a major shift in the role of Vietnamese women, with their active commitment to the military. Allied forces invade Europe in June.
9 March 1945
Japan takes over the French administration throughout Indochina.
11 March 1945
Emperor Bao Dai proclaims the independence of Viet Nam under Japanese auspices.
12 April 1945
Harry Truman becomes US president
2 September 1945
Ho Chi Minh proclaims Viet Nam’s independence and sets up a provisional government in Ha Noi. Ho and the Viet Minh army demand Bao Dai’s resignation. Once Bao Dai recognizes who Ho Chi Minh is, he makes a respectful gesture and immediately offers to relinquish the royal seal and his sword – emblems of the monarchy.
6 March 1946
French warships attack Hai Phong port. Ho yields to a treaty with VN being a “free” country inside the French Union and part of the Indochina Federation. Treaty allows 15,000 French troops in North Viet Nam but they would withdraw within five years. South Viet Nam would remain a colony and people in the South would make their own choice whether or not to be reunited with the North as one country.
12 March 1946 Credille, the French commissioner for South Viet Nam announces that the March 6 treaty does not apply to the colony.
May 1946
Ho Chi Minh goes to Fontainebleau, France for negotiations.
1 June 1946
While Ho is still in France, the French set up a “separate”government for South Viet Nam, headed by Nguyen Van Hinh. Credile signs an agreement with Hinh, recognizing the colony as a “country of its own”. Resistance movements begin to spread out rapidly throughout South Viet Nam.
14 September 1946
Negotiations in Fontainebleau break down. Ho continues to appeal for peace. French troops attack Da Nang port and raids are continued in Central and South Viet Nam.
23 November 1946
French warship Suffren opens fire on Da Nang, troops massacre 6000 Vietnamese civilians.
16 December 1946
The French send their ‘ultimate’ letter to Ho Chi Minh, ordering the withdrawal of all Viet Minh troops before 9pm on 20 December, leaving complete control to the French military.
19 December 1946
Viet Minh troops open fire in Ha Noi at 8pm. The French War begins.
December 1947
Emperor Bao Dai, living in Hong Kong, offers to negotiate with France to achieve Viet Nam’s independence.
5 June 1948
The French choose Bao Dai as the puppet leader of Viet Nam.
7 December 1949
Mao Tse Tung gains full power in China. The Viet Minh begins receiving military assistance from China.
January 1950
Ho Chi Minh declares that the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam is the only legal government. It is recognized by China and the Soviet Union.
25 June 1950
The Korean War begins. The United States begins military assistance to the French in Indochina (500 million USD per year).
1953
Resistance forces are being increased throughout North Viet Nam. The French set up their stronghold at Dien Bien Phu in September.
29 November 1953
Ho Chi Minh announces in the Swedish newspaper Expressen that the Viet Minh are ready for peace negotiation.
13 March 1954
Battle of Dien Bien Phu begins.
26 April 1954
The Geneva Conference begins. However, talks about Indochina would not start until 8 May 1954.
7 May 1954
The French are defeated at Dien Bien Phu.
6 June 1954
Colonel Edward Lansdale of the CIA is sent to Sai Gon to begin a campaign of psychological warfare against Ho Chi Minh.
7 July 1954
Ngo Dinh Diem’ s return to Sai Gon is arranged by the US government.
21 July 1954
The Geneva Agreement is signed, dividing Viet Nam at the 17th parallel, awaiting a national election to be held in July 1956.
August 1954
Lansdale’s operatives in South Viet Nam begin murdering Viet Minh members and sympathizers.
8 September 1954
The United States sets up SEATO, a group of nations to fight against Communism.
October 1954
Lansdale’s operatives in North Viet Nam begin sabotage activities in towns and cities.
February 1955
Ngo Dinh Diem receives CIA support to persecute Buddhists following their protests in Sai Gon.
16 July 1955
The US government advises Ngo Dinh Diem to ignore the plan for a national election in 1956, which would reunify the country.
1956
The national election specified in the Geneva Agreement is never held.
1957-1959
Resistance forces intensify their activities in South Viet Nam.
1960
American advisors are increased to 685 persons in May and to 900 in December.
11 November 1960
Failed attempt to overthrow Ngo Dinh Diem by a group of ARVN generals.
20 December 1960
The National Liberation Front (NLF) is established.
May 1961
President Kennedy begins sending troops to South Viet Nam and orders a campaign of war against North Viet Nam.
October 1961
General Maxwell Taylor is sent to Sai Gon, to become special military advisor, with 3200 American troops.
8 February 1962
A US Army Command headquarters is set up in Sai Gon.
May 1963
Buddhists and university students in Hue hold public demonstrations against the Americans and the Diem regime. Rev. Thich Quang Duc calls for peace and reconciliation. He burns himself to make his protest.
1 November 1963
Americans assist the generals to overthrow Ngo Dinh Diem. Diem and his brother Nhu are murdered.
22 November 1963
President John Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas. Lyndon Johnson succeeds him.
5 August 1964
Two American destroyers, Maddox and Turner claim to have been under attack while they were sailing off the North Viet Nam coast. It is later revealed that the Maddox had been in North Viet Nam’s territorial waters assisting a secret South Vietnamese commando raid. There was never an attack on the Turner as claimed. President Johnson makes this excuse and orders the bombing of North Viet Nam with 64 sorties.
30 November 1964
During the presidential election Johnson promises the American people to “limit” the war. US Army force in South Viet Nam is increased to 23,000 men.
7 February 1964
Eight Americans in a US Army compound in Pleiku (Central VN) are killed. Johnson makes this excuse to start the campaign of intensive bombing in North Viet Nam.
8 February 1964
American troops are pouring into Da Nang.
April 1965
Johnson announces that the Americans are ready for peace negotiations, with South Viet Nam being recognized as “a country of its own”. Ha Noi government refuses to discuss.
October 1965
Nguyen Van Thieu regime. US Army force of 74,000 goes up to 148,000. General Westmoreland announces that he needs 350,000 American troops to win the war.
April 1966
Bombing of North Viet Nam is resumed. The US Army force for South Viet Nam is increased to 463,000 by June.
13 May 1968
Peace talks begin in Paris.
4 August 1969
First meeting between Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and North Viet Nam’s representative Le Duc Tho.
3 Sep
tember 1969
Ho Chi Minh dies.
1 July 1971
Madame Nguyen Thi Binh announces the Seven Points of the National Liberation Front’s provisional government.
11 October 1971
Henry Kissinger announces the Eight Points of the United States.
31 January 1972
Le Duc Tho announces the Nine Points of North Viet Nam.
9 March 1972
Under advice of Americans, President Nguyen van Thieu authorizes 50,000 ARVN troops to attack Cambodia.
6 April 1972
The US resumes the bombing of North Viet Nam.
8 May 1972
President Nixon orders the installation of mines at all ports and rivers in North Viet Nam.
17 June 1972
American troops in South Viet Nam are reduced to 60,000 men.
12 September 1972
Explosion at Bien Hoa airforce base, destroying 70 US aircraft.
7 November 1972
Nixon is re-elected as President.
18 December 1972
Nixon orders intensive bombing of North Viet Nam for 12 days. Seventeen B52 bombers and ten F-11 bombers are shot down. About 100 American pilots are killed/missing.
23 January 1973
Paris Peace Agreement signed.
29 March 1973
Last American troops leave Viet Nam.
January 1974
President Thieu declares that the war is to begin again.
9 August 1974
President Nixon resigns. Gerald Ford replaces him.
31 March 1975 After capturing Phuoc Long, Ban Me Thuoc, and Da Nang, North Viet Nam directs “the Ho Chi Minh campaign” to take Sai Gon.
23 April 1975
President Ford announces the war is “finished”.
25 April 1975
President Thieu leaves the country. General Duong Van Minh becomes chief of state.
29 April 1975
US Ambassador Graham Martin leaves Sai Gon.
30 April 1975
South Viet Nam is taken by the National Liberation Front and Northern troops.
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Acknowledgements
No book is the product of a single person. In the ten years it has taken to write Late Blossom, I have benefited immensely from the writings of others, especially those who themselves struggled and survived the wars in Viet Nam. I am further grateful for the many interviews and conversations while preparing the manuscript. For their unfailing courtesy and generous help I should like to thank: General Ho Thi Bi and Madame Nguyen Thi Thap for educating me on the role of women in the military; Colonel Phan Duong for sharing his experiences in the French War and at Dien Bien Phu; Mr Vien Phuong for the remarkable journey to the Cu Chi tunnels; and my father, and his contemporaries Mr Tam Bang, and Nam Van, for providing me with facts, as well as inspiration.
Over the years a number of people have kindly read through various chapters and given me crucial advice. I should particularly like to thank: Andrea Soracco, Rachel Zahn, Angela Redfern, Lady Borton, Tao Hsu, Hannah Judson, Bob Garratt, Anna Vermaelen, Pascale Dey, Inge Schermerhorn, Huynh Hong Hai, Emilio Manso-Salinas, Don and Rosemary Birch, and Xia Yates for their critiques and encouragements; members of my writing group: Christine Poirot, Philip Marchand, Annie Martin, Larry Litzky, Jean Viallet, Tina Joubert, and Dominique Van Peteghem. I thank them for both their challenges and best wishes throughout my writing adventure.
I should also like to pay heartfelt thanks for the invaluable contributions made by: Matt Simpson, for lessons on the economical usage of the English language; Philip Gwyn Jones, for advice on “telling” and “showing”; Kitty
Kelley, for teaching me the patience required of every new writer; Diane Law and Cathy Chevallereau for early typing; Leekuan Hong, Christina Siu, Virginie Beasley, and Karen Volpe for their technical assistance; and Dianne Laughlin and Elizabeth Aldridge for their time and efforts to help bring my message to fellow readers. I shall also remain grateful for early conversations with, and guidance from, Sterling Lord.
Finally, I extend my immeasurable thanks to my husband and son, for more than a decade of encouragement, patience and unwavering support.
Laura Lam July 2006
About The Author
A journalist and author, Laura explores her experience of growing up in the Mekong Delta and in Sai Gon during the “Vietnam War” in this autobiography. For three generations, her family was politically divided while her country was fighting wars of liberation against both the French and the Americans. Laura writes from first-hand war experience, with an understanding that deepens from years of living in the United States, Hong Kong, France, and Singapore.
Educated at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, she also earned a master’s degree at the University of Minnesota. Before becoming a writer, she worked for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Laura and her family now live between Europe and Asia.
About Monsoon Books
Monsoon Books is a leading independent publisher of English-language books and ebooks on Southeast Asia. We publish literary and commercial fiction (historical, crime, thriller, kid’s, romance, erotica) and quality nonfiction (biography and autobiography, true crime, food and drink, sexuality, journalism, travelogue and current affairs) from outstanding writers worldwide and we have numerous best-sellers to our name.