April 25

This Day in History

Also on This Day

Lead Story
Andropov writes to U.S. student, 1983
American Revolution
Cornwallis retreats from Guilford Courthouse, 1781
Automotive
Italian Formula One driver dies in crash, 2001
Civil War
Confederates overwhelm Union at Marks' Mills, 1864
Cold War
Andropov writes to an American fifth-grader, 1983
Crime
A father is exonerated after 21 years, 1989
Disaster
Air tragedy hits Canary Islands, 1980
General Interest
Ground broken for Suez Canal, 1859
Space telescope in orbit, 1990
Hollywood
Ginger Rogers dies, 1995
Literary
Robinson Crusoe is published, 1719
Music
Ella Fitzgerald is born, 1917
Old West
A play lionizing Davy Crockett opens, 1831
Presidential
Truman inaugurates White House bowling alley, 1947
Sports
Maple Leafs win third Stanley Cup in a row, 1964
Vietnam War
Johnson announces appointment of Westmoreland, 1964
North Vietnamese Army close to cutting South Vietnam in two, 1972
World War I
Allies begin invasion of Gallipoli, 1915
World War II
Americans and Russians link up, cut Germany in two, 1945

Vietnam War

Apr 25, 1964:

Johnson announces appointment of Westmoreland

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President Lyndon B. Johnson announces that Gen. William Westmoreland will replace Gen. Paul Harkins as head of U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) as of June 20. The assignment would put Westmoreland in charge of all American military forces in Vietnam. One of the war's most controversial figures, General Westmoreland was given many honors when the fighting was going well, but when the war turned sour, many Americans saw him as a cause of U.S. problems in Vietnam. Negative feeling about Westmoreland grew particularly strong following the Tet Offensive of 1968, when he had requested a large number of additional troops for deployment to Vietnam. On March 22, 1968, President Johnson announced that Westmoreland would depart South Vietnam to take on the post of Army Chief of Staff; Gen. Creighton Abrams replaced him as the senior U.S. commander in South Vietnam.

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This Week in History, Apr 25 - May 1

Apr 25, 1964
Johnson announces appointment of Westmoreland
Apr 25, 1972
North Vietnamese Army close to cutting South Vietnam in two
Apr 26, 1971
U.S. troop strength in South Vietnam at five-year low
Apr 26, 1972
Nixon announces additional troop withdrawals
Apr 27, 1968
Humphrey announces his candidacy
Apr 27, 1972
North Vietnamese attack outskirts of Quang Tri
Apr 28, 1970
Nixon approves Cambodian incursion
Apr 28, 1972
North Vietnamese press South Vietnamese at Hue and Kontum
Apr 29, 1970
U.S.-South Vietnamese forces launch Cambodian "incursion"
Apr 29, 1971
New casualty figures released.
Apr 29, 1975
Operation Frequent Wind begins
Apr 30, 1975
South Vietnam surrenders
May 01, 1969
Senator criticizes Nixon's handling of the war
May 01, 1972
North Vietnamese troops capture Quang Tri

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