War Escalates in Vietnam

In early 1965, the war in Vietnam underwent significant escalation. In retaliation for attacks on the barracks at Plieku, U.S. forces conducted a series of air attacks against North Vietnam. In March, the U.S. initiated the first sustained attacks against the North as what was named "rolling thunder". On March 7th, the first two battalions of U.S. combat troops arrived to defend the air base at Danang.