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Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
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Chronology

1010:  

The Ly dynasty founds the city of Hanoi as its capital 1858:   The French navy attacks Da Nang, starting 25 years of struggle between France and Vietnam 1867:   Cochinchina (South Vietnam) becomes a French colony 1883:   Tonkin (North Vietnam) and Annam (central Vietnam) become part of French Indochina 1940:   Japan invades Indochina 1941:   Ho Chi Minh starts the Viet Minh, declaring Leninism an ideological weapon against colonialism 1945:   The Viet Minh ousts Emperor Bao Dai; Ho Chi Minh declares the country’s independence 1954:   Vietnam defeats the French at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. At the Geneva peace conference, Vietnam is partitioned at the 17th parallel into North and South Vietnam. 1961:   U.S. President John F. Kennedy sends the first military advisers to South Vietnam. Testing of Agent Orange and other herbicides begins in August 1962:   Operation Hades, later renamed Operation Ranch Hand, begins aerial spraying of herbicides 1965:   U.S. troops arrive in Da Nang; aerial raids begin. Agent Orange spraying continues nationwide 1968:   The Viet Cong’s Tet offensive is a military failure but stuns the West and sparks U.S. anti-war feeling, including protests against the use of Agent Orange 1971:   U.S. ends use of Agent Orange after spraying 11.4 million gallons. Remaining stocks are collected at Da Nang, Bien Hoa and Tuy Hoa airbases, re-barreled and shipped to the South Pacific for incineration 1973:   After the Paris Accords are ratified, the U.S. military withdraws from Vietnam 1975:   North Vietnamese forces enter Saigon; the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is proclaimed in 1976 1979:   U.S. veterans file class action lawsuit against chemical companies that produced Agent Orange 1984:   Veterans’ lawsuit is settled out of court for $180 million 1987:   Vietnam begins liberalizing economy with new foreign investment law. First U.S. tourists arrive 1991:   U.S. Congress approves Agent Orange Act, creating a list of “presumptive illnesses” for which government compensation and medical care will be provided to US Vietnam veterans 1994:   U.S. ends trade embargo against Vietnam 1995:   U.S. and Vietnam establish diplomatic relations 2002:   U.S. and Vietnam hold joint scientific conference, sign a research memorandum of understanding 2004:   Vietnamese citizens file suit in U.S. courts against Agent Orange-producing chemical companies 2005:   U.S. District and Appeals courts dismiss Vietnamese case. U.S. Supreme Court later refuses a review 2006:   U.S. and Vietnamese presidents meet and agree that cooperation in addressing Agent Orange residues in Vietnam would strengthen the bilateral relationship 2007:   The U.S. Congress appropriates $3 million to address remediation of dioxin hotspots in Vietnam and to support public health programs in the surrounding communities 2009:   Congress appropriates an additional $3 million for the same purposes. 2010:   Congress appropriates an additional $3 million for the same purposes. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announces $34 million soil remediation program at Da Nang airport. 2011:   Congress appropriates an additional $18.6 million to address remediation of dioxin hotspots in Vietnam and to support public health programs in the surrounding communities. August 2011