|
1954
|
Geneva Conference divides Vietnam. Laos and Cambodia become neutral states. Nixon favors US intervention to assist France.
|
|
Jan. 1956
|
|
|
1959
|
Daniel Ellsberg holds two lectures on “The Political Uses of Madness” before Kissinger’s Harvard seminar.
|
|
1968
|
“Phoenix Program” by CIA under William Colby. Capture of 29.000 “communist leaders”, 20.000 dead. After public outrage, Program is canceled 1972.
|
|
26.03.1968
|
Johnson begins to withdraw troops from Vietnam
.
|
|
29.03.1968
|
Nixon concludes that Vietnam War cannot be won.
|
|
31.10.1968
|
Johnson orders bombing halt
.
|
|
11.11.1968
|
Nixon has Johnson’s taping system
removed.
|
|
30.12.1968
|
SU offers to work together with US on Middle East and Vietnam.
|
|
1969
|
CIA counts 54 stories in media that threatened national security.
|
|
1969
|
Sino-Soviet tension: Using Brezhnev-Doctrine on China? “Soviet rockets stood aimed and ready to destroy China’s nuclear center at Lop Nor […] anti-Maoist forces were emerging and `could produce a leader´.” (Thornton, 21) Diplomatic pressure from Washington, DEFCON I.
|
|
20.01.1969
|
Inaugural Address: “After a period of confrontation, we are entering an era of negotiations.” Kremlin welcomes speech within hours.
|
|
20.01.1969
|
US: 536.000 American troops in Southeast Asia, 30.000 deaths since 1961, half of which in 1968 only. 58.000 battle deaths during Nixon administration, 18.000 in 1969.
|
|
21.01.1969
|
Kissinger and Ellsberg issue list of 29 major and 50 subsidiary questions to key national security agencies
.
|
|
25.01.1969
|
Nixon in favor of two track: NV and SV conduct political, USA and NV military talks.
|
|
27.01.1969
|
In his first press conference as president Nixon goes public with “linkage” although not explicitly naming it.
|
|
05.02.1969
|
Congress approves nonproliferation treaty
.
|
|
06.02.1969
|
Nixon announces start of “Safeguard” program, Threatening to use ABM against Chinese, Soviet and irrational or accidental attack: “negotiating currency in any forthcoming SALT dealings with the Russians.” (Kalb/Kalb, 108)
.
|
|
17.02.1969
|
Dobrynin calls Nixon, who stresses linkage. Decision to establish hotline between Kissinger and Dobrynin
.
|
|
15.04.1969
|
North Korea shoots down EC-121 over international waters. 31 dead. Nixon backs down on cabinet’s resistance: No retaliation, but bombing of Cambodia. Nixon votes for "madmen reaction", Kissinger warns of nuclear war.
|
|
09.05.1969
|
NYT reports “Operation Menu” over Cambodia. Nixon wiretaps 11 officials and 4 journalists.
|
|
14.05.1969
|
Nixon issues new 8 Point Plan on Vietnam: Withdrawal of NV, 6 month afterwards American withdrawal, free elections. Hanoi rejects proposal.
|
|
07.07.1969
|
Secret trip: Kissinger to Vietnam.
|
|
15.07.1969
|
Nixon’s Ultimatum: If Ho Chi Minh is not willing to compromise, has to face “measures of great consequence.”
|
|
19.06.1969
|
Rogers summons Dobrynin and tells him that US was ready to start SALT-talks on 31.07.1969. Date passes.
|
|
25.07.1969
|
Nixon outlines his Doctrine to reporters on a “non-quotation basis” on a background briefing on Guam.
|
|
04.08.1969
|
Kissinger to Xuan Thuy: If no response till 01.11. use of new measures. (K: “savage, punishing blow”)
.
|
|
14.08.1969
|
Nixon’s revolutionary thesis that China is more aggressive than SU.
|
|
02.09.1969
|
Death of Ho Chi Minh. Saigon controls 50% of country, in it had been 1968 20%
.
|
|
16.09.1969
|
US Withdrawal of 35.000
troops.
|
|
20.10.1969
|
SU and China start talks on border. Kissinger meets secretly with Dobrynin, agreeing to start SALT.
|
|
03.11.1969
|
Nixon address. 80 Mio. watch him outline policy, Vietnamization, letter, silent majority.
|
|
11.11.1969
|
End of ultimatum. No retaliation, escalation didn’t work.
|
|
12.11.1969
|
Hersh reports My Lai.
|
|
13.11.1969
|
Second moratorium.
|
|
15.11.1969
|
250.000 protest in Washington. Nixon Address: Withdrawal of another 50.000
troops.
|
|
17.11.1969
|
Helsinki-talks on SALT. ABM-treaty because of Sentinel / Safeguard and Moscow’s missile defense. Nixon is fond of ABM, but gets no funding from Senate.
|
|
31.01.1970
|
Kosygin warns Nixon: If Israel continues to attack Egypt, SU is going to help. Nixon suggests to limit arms supply, but Israel continues and almost destroys Egyptian Air Force. SU arms supply to Egypt.
|
|
19.02.1970
|
NYT reports bombing of Laos
.
|
|
06.03.1970
|
Nixon to Press: No killings in Laos, no ground troops
.
|
|
02.03.1970
|
Nixon memorandum: No attention to Europe unless NATO and major countries concerened.
|
|
08.03.1970
|
Article in LA Times on Laos. Pentagon admits. “Nixon had been led astray by Kissinger, whose defense was that the victims were killed in fighting clearly connected to Vietnam, so technically not `stationed´ in Laos. Nixon was furious. He hated to be caught in a lie.” (Ambrose, 336)
|
|
April 1970
|
Paris Talks are broken off
.
|
|
20.04.1970
|
US withdraw 150.000
troops.
|
|
22.04.1970
|
Nixon plans Cambodia Incursion. Laird and Rogers are informed only short advance; CIA regards impossible, but Helms does not report to Nixon.
|
|
28.04.1970
|
Nixon decides to send troops to Cambodia
.
|
|
29.04.1970
|
"Toan Thang 42", Phase I, Cambodian Incursion
|
|
30.04.1970
|
Nixon Address on Cambodia. Morris, Lake and Watts resign from NSC. 250 protest notes from State Department.
|
|
01.05.1970
|
"Toan Thang 43", Phase II, Cambodian Incursion
|
|
04.05.1970
|
Kent State Killings
.
|
|
08.05.1970
|
Nixon meets student leaders in White House
.
|
|
09.05.1970
|
100.000 protest in Washington. Nixon visits Lincoln Memorial with Manolo.
|
|
15.05.1970
|
2 Deaths at Jackson State University
.
|
|
May 1970
|
Cooper-Church Amendment: Cut off funding for Cambodia after 30.06.
|
|
June 1970
|
Gulf of Tonkin revoked
.
|
|
30.06.1970
|
Nixon Address: Claims victory in Cambodia. Gathered 40% enemy arms; damaged re-supply routs; Central Office for SV (COSVN) not found; Communists driven inland.
|
|
July 1970
|
Poll: 58% of Americans believe students are responsible for Kent State
|
|
Sum. 1970
|
Kissinger orders Haig to wiretap 4 newsman; 13 NSC, State and DoD officials.
|
|
12.08.1970
|
Brandt in Moscow to sign non-aggression pact.
|
|
28.08.1970
|
Explosion in Madison
.
|
|
11.09.1970
|
In Chile, Augusto Pinochet overthrows the Chilean government and has Salvador Allende killed. US policy: Track I was to order CIA to “make economy scream”, Track II involved American encouragement of military overthrow or even assassination of Allende.
|
|
16.09.1970
|
U2 discovers SU submarine basis in Cuba. Agreement with Gromyko that Berlin is more important than SALT.
|
|
07.10.1970
|
New initiative for peace, which is rejected by Hanoi.
|
|
12.10.1970
|
US withdrawal of 40.000
troops.
|
|
20.11.1970
|
"Son Tay Offensive" to free POW and to punish NV for rejecting peace proposal.
|
|
1970
|
Planning Summit: Nixon wants it to take place before Congress elections; SU postpones to 1971; Nixon postpones again because he wants to shock with earlier Sino-American Summit 1972.
|
|
08.02.1971
|
All SV-action: “Lan Son 719” into Laos. 8.000 of 17.000 SV soldiers dead; NV
suffers 12.000 deaths .
|
|
21.02.1971
|
Nixon visits China till 27.02.
|
|
25.02.1971
|
Only time Nixon outlines his doctrine in greater detail.
|
|
May 1971
|
"Mansfield Amendment". Reduction of US troops in European NATO to 150.000, half of which till end of 1971.
|
|
31.05.1971
|
Kissinger's 7 Point Plan: Mutual withdrawal no longer sine qua non. 9 Point Plan NV
.
|
|
Apr-Jul1971
|
Congress passes 16 votes to restrict Nixon
.
|
|
16.08.1971
|
8 Point Plan: SV decide on their future; US stays neutral; 2 month after US left POW are freed; Indochina-wide cease fire; withdrawal till 01.08.72
.
|
|
03.09.1971
|
“Vier Mächte Abkommen”. Kissinger influences via back channel.
|
|
03.10.1971
|
SV-Elections US had pressed for. Thieu wins.
|
|
25.10.1971
|
China becomes member of China, Taiwan off.
|
|
12.11.1971
|
US withdraw 45.000
troops.
|
|
14.12.1971
|
Ehrlichman discovers Radford-Welander leak
.
|
|
End 1971
|
15.000 American troops left in Vietnam, 276 deaths during last 6 month
.
|
|
1972
|
Kissinger and Dobrynin
talk 130 times via hotline .
|
|
13.01.1972
|
US Withdrawal of 70.000
troops.
|
|
25.01.1972
|
Nixon on TV: Offer to withdraw completely within 6 month.
|
|
22.03.1972
|
Jack Anderson reveals that CIA and ITT helped with Chilean coup
.
|
|
25.04.1972
|
Nixon proposes the use of nuclear weapons, Kissinger thinks it would be “too much”.
|
|
08.05.1972
|
Nixon orders bombing of NV and mining of harbor
.
|
|
22.05.1972
|
Nixon in Moscow. Agreement that economics are more important than SALT or OSCE
.
|
|
28.05.1972
|
First Watergate burglary
.
|
|
30.05.1972
|
NV captures Quag Tri with SU-weapons. US retaliates with air raids, bombs 3 SU ships. Withdrawal of 20.000
troops.
|
|
17.06.1972
|
Second Watergate burglary
.
|
|
20.06.1972
|
Nixon learns of ties of Watergate-burglars to White House.
|
|
23.06.1972
|
"Smoking gun
".
|
|
23.09.1972
|
Haig gets Thieus approval for peace plan; Hanoi is not satisfied
.
|
|
08.10.1972
|
Kissinger and Tho agree to announce peace
on 15.10.
|
|
17.10.1972
|
Kissinger visits Thieu, who is not willing to accept
.
|
|
22.10.1972
|
Kissinger to Haig on "October Surprise". Haig is shocked, but on 02.11. Nixon is loosening restrictions on bombing.
|
|
25.10.1972
|
NV presses on quick peace, Kissinger agrees
.
|
|
26.10.1972
|
Hanoi announcement
.
|
|
30.10.1972
|
Cease fire. Nixon has not agreed, furious about Kissinger's insubordination. Orders Colson to wiretap Kissinger’s phone in December.
|
|
20.11.1972
|
New talks, broken off
.
|
|
28.11.1972
|
Plan to reorganize government till 22.12.: 57 dismissals, 87 personnel decisions. White House personnel to be named assistant- or undersecretaries. Nixon wants to cut down to 7 instead of 11 departments. Plan is dropped after Ehrlichman and Haldeman had to resign.
|
|
18.12.1972
|
"Christmas Bombings" till 30.12.: “bomb back to peace table”, “mad bomber”. US on NV “Operation Enhance Plus”, $2 Mio. to SV; more bombs on NV than in 1969-1971 together
.
|
|
28.12.1972
|
NV accept Nixon’s terms
.
|
|
08.01.1973
|
Watergate burglars appaer before court till 30.01.
|
|
08.01.1973
|
Kissinger and Tho agree. Nixon presses Thieu to accept; promise to respond with full force when NV attacks.
|
|
13.01.1973
|
Agreement
.
|
|
23.01.1973
|
Kissinger and Tho initiate treaty.
|
|
27.01.1973
|
Treaty in effect. Cease fire; US stops attacks; US removes mines; US withdraw all troops; Hanoi releases POW; NV presses on end of civil war in Laos; NV and SV talk on political status; US $325 Mio. reconstruction aid when fulfilled.
|
|
07.02.1973
|
Helms lies before Congress, stating that USA were not involved in Chilean coup.
|
|
16.06.1973
|
Brezhnev visits USA till 24.06.
|
|
06.10.1973
|
Start of "Yom Kippur War
".
|
|
24.10.1973
|
Brezhnev Warning: If not act jointly, SU considers to take steps unilaterally. US issues DefCon III.
|
|
27.06.1974
|
Final summit with SU
.
|
|
27.07.1974
|
Impeachment
.
|
|
09.08.1974
|
Nixon resigns
.
|
