Timeline, March 5th

[David]

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
March 5, 1965 (3rd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Advisory): In a memo to Secretary of State Rusk, Assistant Secretary of State Bundy outlines US conditions for "the first political step away from the present confrontation with North Viet-Nam" if the North indicates its willingness to negotiate.

March 5, 1966 (14th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Utah/Lien Ket 26 update.

March 5, 1966 (14th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Black Horse update.

March 5, 1966 (14th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Cocoa Beach update. At Don Dien Lo Ke, a Viet Cong regiment attacks the US 2/28th Infantry. During the fighting, a 15-man patrol from Company B, 2/28, ambushes a VC company as it advances toward the American battalion's position.

March 5, 1967 (25th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Blackjack 23 begins.

March 5, 1968 (7th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than])(US Tet Counteroffensive): Operation Rock update: A 15-man US Marine reconnaissance patrol is attacked by a platoon-sized enemy force in the Quan Duc Valley.

March 5, 1968 (7th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than])(US Tet Counteroffensive): Scouts of the A/7/17 Cavalry spot and kill two NVA while checking out a bunker complex in Pleiku Province.

March 5, 1969 (18th day of the 1st month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): A defensive position of US Marines at Fire Base Argonne near the DMZ is attacked by an NVA platoon.

March 5, 1969 (18th day of the 1st month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Spindown update.

March 1969 (1st and 2nd months, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): American forces reach their peak strength in Vietnam of 543,000.

March 5, 1971 (9th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Lam Son 719 update: Some ARVN troops are reported to have entered the North Vietnamese supply and communications center in Tchepone in Laos.

March 5, 1972 (20th day of the 1st month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Consolidation II): The last Australian logistic units leave Vung Tau and Australia's commitment in South Vietnam returns to a training role with the 150-man Australian Assistance Group, Vietnam (AAAGV) and the AATTV.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR/SINO-VIETNAMESE WAR:
March 5, 1979 (8th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): China, having "dealt devastating blows," officially announces its withdrawal from Vietnam and again calls for talks "to settle the boundary and territorial disputes." Hanoi refuses to talk while Chinese troops remain in Vietnam. The premier of Thailand announces that the country's armed forces have been placed on alert following Kampuchean-Vietnamese incursions. Kampuchea announces that, following the fall of Pol Pot, all Khmer Rouge have been driven from the country.