Vietnam War Timeline: 1971 - 1972

1971

8^th Feb.

Operation Lam Son 719 is launched. ARVN troops invade Laos.

3^rd March

5^th Special Forces Group leaves Vietnam.

5^th March

11^th Armoured Cavalry Regiment (less 2^nd Squadron) leaves Vietnam.

14^th April III Marine Amphibious Force withdrawals from Vietnam

29^thApril

1^st Cavalry Division (less 3^rd Brigade) also leaves Vietnam

30^th April

2^nd Brigade 25^th Infantry returns home along with the 1^st Marine Division

June

New York Times starts publishing the ‘Pentagon Papers’

25^th Aug.

173^rd Airborne Brigade leaves for home.

27^th Aug.

1^st Brigade 5^th Infantry Division (Mechanized) leaves Vietnam

20^th Sept.

18^th and 20^th Engineer Brigades withdraws from Vietnam

29^thNov.

Americal Division, including 11^th Infantry Brigade and 198^th Brigade, disbanded.

31^st Dec.

U.S. military personnel levels declines to 156,800.

1972

Feb.

Nixon visits Peking in a change of Pacific strategy. North Vietnam fears a deal to their disadvantage.

Korean Marines leave Vietnam.

10^th March

101^st Airborne leaves Vietnam

12^th March

Australian Task Force withdraws

6^th April

2^nd Squadron 11^th Armoured Cavalry Regiment departs Vietnam.

7^th April

NVA begins siege of An Loc – Easter Offensive, as it becomes known.

8^th May

Nixon orders North Vietnam’s ports and rivers to be mined to cut their supply line

U.S. Air Force begins Operation Linebacker tactical air support of ARVN forces to repulse the NVA Easter Offensive.

June

General Frederick C. Weyand takes over at MACV from General Abrams

17^th June

First Watergate arrest takes place.

18^th June

Siege of An Loc ends as VNA withdraw in defeat.

26^th June

3^rd Brigade 1^st Cav. leaves Vietnam.

29^th June

196^th Infantry Brigade (Light) leaves for home.

New Zealand troops leave for home

18^th July

Jane Fonda delivers an anti-war message on Hanoi Radio.

31^st July

9^th Marine Amphibious Brigade leaves Vietnam.

23^rd Aug.

3^rd Battalion, 21^st Infantry, the last U.S. ground combat Battalion withdraws from Vietnam.

7^th Nov.

President Nixon is re-elected.

1^st Signal Brigade departs Vietnam

11^th Nov.

The logistical base at Long Bien is turned over to the South Vietnamese, marking the end of direct U.S. Army participation in the war

13^th Dec.

Paris Peace talks deadlocked

18-29^th Dec.

Operation Linbacker II so called ‘Christmas bombing’ of Hanoi and Haiphong.

31^st Dec.

U.S. troop levels in Vietnam fall to 24,200.

1969-1970 1973-1975