...for as long as it takes
World War II POW - 124,079 MIA - 30,314
Korean War POW - 7,140 MIA - 8,177
Vietnam War POW/MIA - 2,583
June 29, 1949 - Last U.S. troops withdrawn from South Korea.
1950
January - Secretary of State Dean Acheson states that the Western defense perimeter of the United States stops
short of South Korea. May-September - Battle of Nomonhan between Japan and Soviets. Janurary 12th- Landings at Anzio. June 28 - Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is assassinated in
Sarajevo. 1919 -
Demobilization of the armies.
Major Dale R. Buis and Master Sargeant
Chester M. Ovnand become the first
Americans to die in the Vietnam War when
guerillas strike at Bienhoa.
On August 2, three North Vietnamese PT
boats allegedly fire torpedoes at the USS
Maddox, a destroyer located in the
international waters of the Tonkin Gulf, some
thirty miles off the coast of North Vietnam. The attack comes after
six months of covert US and South Vietnamese naval operations.
A second, even more highly disputed attack, is alleged to have
taken place on August 4.
In an effort to destroy Communist supply routes and base camps in Cambodia, President Nixon gives the go-ahead to "Operation Breakfast." The covert bombing of Cambodia, conducted without the knowledge of Congress or the American public, will continue for fourteen months.
Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird
describes a policy of "Vietnamization" when
discussing a diminishing role for the US
military in Vietnam. The objective of the
policy is to shift the burden of defeating the
Communists onto the South Vietnamese
Army and away from the United States.
In May, impeachment hearings against
President Richard Nixon are begun by the
House Judiciary Committee. Among the
articles of impeachment introduced is a
resolution condemning Nixon for the secret
bombing of Cambodia.
June 25 - Early morning - North Korean People's Army under General Chai Ung Jun, invades South Korea with
seven assault infantry divisions, a tank brigade and two independent infantry regiments. United Nations Security
Council resolution calls for an end of aggression from North Korea.
June 27 - United Nations asks member countries to aid the Republic of Korea. Republic of Korea Army
abandons Seoul. President Truman announces U.S. intervention.
June 28 to 29 - Seoul captured by North Korean Army. The Republic of Korea Army is destroyed. Explosion
destroys the Han River Bridge. British Far Eastern Fleet ordered to assist South Korea.
June 30 - President Truman orders U.S. ground forces into Korea and authorizes the bombing of North Korea
by the U.S. Air Force. U.S. troops notified of movement to South Korea.
July 1 - General William F. Dean is U.S. Commander in Korea. First U.S. troops (U.S. 24th Infantry Division)
arrive.
July 3 - South Korean forces mistakenly attacked by Australian and U.S. air forces.
July 4 to 5 - Task Force Smith under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. (Brad) Smith, moves into
position north of Osan.
July 5 - U.S. ground troops in Task Force Smith, fight North Koreans for the first time north of Osan. U.S.
forces retreat with heavy casualties. The 34th Infantry Regiment moved north from Pusan. Fall of Wanju.
July 5 to August 10 - United Nations Forces fight delaying actions across South Korea.
July 7 - United Nations creates United Nations Command, under General Douglas Mac Arthur, who is appointed
by the U.S.
July 10 - Fifth Air Force destroys large contingent of North Korean tanks and troops stalled at Pyongtaek.
July 10 to 12 - U.S. Forces retreat down the Seoul-Taejon road.
July 13 - Lieutenant General Walton H. Walker appointed to command the ground forces in Korea.
July 13 to 16 - Assault of North Koreans begins against the U.S. troops on the Kum River ending with the
crossing of the Kum River and withdrawal of U.S. troops.
July 18 - U.S. Cavalry land at Pohangdong.
July 19 to 22 - Battle for Taejon. U.S. troops retreat. Major General William F. Dean captured by North
Koreans.
July 29 - General Walton H. Walker issues order that there will be no more retreats.
August 1 to 3 - U.S. Eighth Army and Republic of Korea troops establish defensive position at the Naktong.
August 4 - Pusan Perimeter in southeastern Korea established by U.S. and Republic of Korea troops.
August 5 to 19 - Battle of the Naktong Bulge. North Koreans make three crossings of the Naktong.
August 13 - First U.S. counterattack collapses.
August 18 to 22 - The battle of "the Bowling Alley" north of Tabu-dong. U.S. forces hold back North Korean
offensive.
August 27 to September 15 - Pusan Perimeter battles, some of the heaviest fighting of the War. U.N. troop
strength exceeds that of North Korea.
August 29 - Scottish and English Allied troops enter War to create a United Nations fighting force.
September 1 to 5 - North Korean People's Army Naktong Offensive consisting of five main thrusts.
September 3 - U.S. forces counterattack in the area of Yongsan.
September 4 - U.S. 5th Marines ordered by General Douglas MacArthur to Inchon.
September 7 - General Walker vows that there will be no further retreat.
September 15 - Inchon landings (code named Chromite). U.S., British, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and
Netherlands forces land.
September 16 to 18 - United Nations forces begin break out of the Pusan Perimeter and North Korean troops
begin retreat northward.
September 19 to October 1 - United Nations troops pursue the North Koreans northwards towards the 38th
Parallel.
September 19 to 29 - Attack and capture of Seoul by U.N. troops.
September 29 - U.N. Commander General Mac Arthur and South Korean President Syngman Rhee enter Seoul.
September 21 to 22 - North Korean troops abandon Yongdungpo.
September 27 - MacArthur gains permission to cross the 38th Parallel into North Korea.
October 1 - U.N. troops cross 38th Parallel.
October 9 - Invasion of North Korea begins with the United Nations forces crossing the 38th Parallel. The United
Nations sanctions the defeat North Korea and the attempted reunification of the country.
October 13 or 14 - Red Chinese Peoplešs Liberation Army (Chinese Communist Forces) regular troops enter
Korea by crossing the Yalu River.
October 15 - Meeting between President Harry Truman and General Douglas Mac Arthur on Wake Island.
October 19 - Pyongyang, the North Korean capital is captured.
October 25 - First contact by U.N. forces with the Chinese Communist Forces.
October 26 - X Corps troops land at Wonsan on the east coast.
October 29 - Republic of Korea troops suffer heavy casualties and loss of men to desertion in the face of Chinese
Communist opposition.
November 1 - Chinese Communist Forces attack in force in the area near Unsan. General Chinese Communist
offense through massive troop attacks.
November 5 - General Mac Arthur orders bombing of the Korean ends of the Yalu Bridges as well as all
factories, lines of communication, cities and villages between the U.N. lines and the Yalu River.
November 21 - U.S. 17th Regiment advances to the Yalu River.
November 24 - Mac Arthur's final "Home by Christmas" offensive begins.
November 25 - Chinese Communist Forces strike at the Eighth Army along Chongchon River in the west.
November 26 to December 1 - U.S. 2nd and 25th Divisions are defeated along the Chongchon River in the
west and they retreat.
November 27 to December 11 - Chinese Communist Forces strike the 1st Marines and the 7th Army Division
near the Changjin (Chosin) Reservoir in the east. X Corps fights back toward port of Hungnam in the east (the
breakout). U.S. Marines retreat from Koto-ri and from Changjin (Chosin) Reservoir.
November 30 - President Truman in a press conference threatens use of Atomic Bomb against Red Chinese
Forces.
December 4 to 8 - President Truman meets with British Prime Minister Attlee after which Britain abandons
position that Taiwan should be returned to Red China.
December 11 - The last of the U.N. Forces reach the assembly area in the Hamhung - Hunganm area. U.N.
Fleet begins evacuating troops, equipment and supplies.
December 14 - United Nations cease fire resolution.
December 23 - General Walton H. Walker is killed when his jeep was struck by a truck. General Matthew B.
Ridgway takes command of Eighth Army.
December 24 - X Corps sails from Hungnam harbor. North Korea is evacuated.
December 30 - U.S. Air Force planes near Yalu River encounter Red Chinese MiG-15 jet fighters.
September 1st, - Germans invade Poland.
September 3rd - Great Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Germany.
September 10th - Canada declares war on Germany.
September 17th - Soviets invade Poland.
September 27th - Warsaw surrenders.
November 30th - Soviets invade Finlad.
December 17th - "Graf Spee" scuttled.
Janurary 17th- Leningrad relieved.
Feb.-March- Japan offensive on borders of India.
April 2nd- Soviets enter Rumania.
May 17th- Germans evacuate Monte Cassino.
June 4th- Americans enter Rome.
June 6th- D-Day, Allied invasion of German occupied France and Europe.
June 12th- First V-1s hit London.
June 15th- Americans invade Saipan.
June 15th- First B-28 raid on Japan.
July 9th- Fall of Saipan.
July 18th- Resignation of General Tojo.
July 20th- Attempt to kill Adolf Hitler by his own Generals.
August 1st- U.S. recovery of Tinian and Guam.
August 15th- Allied landings in Southern France.
August 17th- Final victories in Normandy.
August 25th- Allies liberate Paris.
September 3rd- Brussels liberated.
September 8th- First V2s hit London.
September 17-30th- 'Operation Market-Garden' fails.
October 20th- U.S. landings in the Philippines.
October 25th- Battle of Leyte Gulf.
November- Regular bombings of Japan begin.
December 16th- German offensive in the Ardennes.
July 28 -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.
August 1 -
Germany declares war on Russia.
August 3 -
Germany declares war on France.
August 4 -
Germany invades neutral Belgium.
August 4 -
Great Britain declares war on Germany.
August 26-30 -
German army, led by Erich Ludendorff and Paul von Hindenburg, achieves its greatest victory of the
war on the Eastern front against Russia at the Battle of Tannenberg.
September 5-10 -
First Battle of the Marne halts German invasion in France.
September 15 -
First trenches of the Western front are dug.
December 25 -
Unofficial Christmas Truce declared by soldiers in the trenches along the Western Front.
1919-1921 -
Russian civil war fails to unseat the Bolsheviks.
January 10-15, 1919 -
A coup launched by German revolutionaries in Berlin is suppressed by paramilitary units.
January 15 -
German socialist rebels Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg are murdered.
February -
Allies' military intervention in Russia is secretly agreed to.
June 28 -
Peace Treaty signed by German delegates and Allies in Versailles.
July 19 -
The Cenotaph is unveiled in London.
August-September -
Woodrow Wilson brings his campaign for the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles to the
American people.
September 25 -
Wilson collapses and calls for his whistle-stop tour.
