1954 in the Vietnam War was a Catholic appointed to rule a country that was predominantly Buddhist. In the words of one historian, "Diệm's attractiveness to his first American patrons derived from three qualities: he was a certified anti-communist nationalist, he was a Roman Catholic, and he understood English." English language ability was rare among Vietnamese at the time. 21 July The Geneva Accords were signed in Paris. The accords called for a cease fire in the war, the independence of Vietnam, its division at the 17th parallel of latitude into two provisional states, North Vietnam and the State of Vietnam (South Vietnam), and the
1965 in the Vietnam War was stationed at the port city of Nha Trang. The Battle of Ia Drang was one of the most consequential battles of the Vietnam War. For the first time, the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam (the North Vietnamese Army) met head-on in a major engagement, with the South Vietnamese army and the Viet Cong playing only minor roles. Casualties were heavy on both sides, with some 250 U.S. and at least 1,200 North Vietnamese dead. For General Westmoreland, the battle was a victory for U.S. firepower and mobility in a war of attrition in which the