istoryworld
Events relating to southeast asia
Australia sends a first contingent of 1500 troops to fight in Vietnam
Singapore leaves the Federation of Malaysia to become again an independent state
Ferdinand Marcos wins a landslide victory in the Philippines presidential election
Suharto forces the Indonesian president, Achmed Sukarno, to hand over to him all executive powers
The Vietcong launch widespread attacks on South Vietnamese cities during the Tet (lunar new year) holiday
US soldiers massacre hundreds of unarmed civilians in the Vietnamese village of My Lai
Raden Suharto is elected president, formalizing his already de facto succession to Sukarno as the Indonesian dictator
Norodom Sihanouk is removed from power in Cambodia in a US-supported coup led by General Lon Nol
President Nixon sends US troops into Cambodia to destroy Vietminh bases
US and South Vietnamese troops cross the border to invade Laos
Ferdinand Marcos declares martial law in the Philippines, citing the danger of a Communist takeover
The Paris Peace Accords end the US combat role in Vietnam, with nothing achieved and millions dead
The last US troops leave Vietnam, ending American involvement in a continuing war between the north and south of the country
The South Vietnamese capital, Saigon, is taken by North Vietnamese forces
South Vietnam surrenders, as President Duong Van Minh broadcasts an order to all South Viernames forces to lay down their arms
Khmer Rouge guerrillas, led by Pol Pot, take Phnom Penh and launch a genocidal reign of terror in Cambodia
The invasion of East Timor by Indonesia begins decades of guerrilla resistance and brutal repression
Vietnamese forces invade Cambodia, driving out Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge
Philippine opposition leader Benigno Aquino is assassinated at Manila International Airport
Corazón Aquino, widow of the assassinated Benigno Aquino, stands against Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines presidential election
After attempting to rig the presidential election to defeat Corazón Aquino, Ferdinand Marcos flees from the Philippines to exile in Hawaii
Aung San Suu Kyi returns to Burma from England, to look after her dying mother
Before the coming election the military junta in Burma places democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest
Aung San Suu Kyi's party wins an overwhelming victory in Burma's general election but the military refuse to hand over power
Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew steps down after 31 years in office
