State of the Union
Uses the State of the Union address to press Congress for Great Society legislation.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1965 in United States of America
Explore 278 historical events and records for United States of America in 1965.
Historical records for United States of America in 1965
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 278 unique records.
278Unique records
1 of 7Page
22Named events on this page
21Named people on this page
12Places on this page
January
Congressional Intelligence Briefing Preparation
McCone commended CIA officers who prepared intelligence briefings for his appearances before the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Records Subterranean Homesick Blues with electric backing.
Government
Inaugurated President of the USA
Inauguration
Inaugurated President of the USA
Inaugural Address
Declares, "We can never again stand aside, prideful in isolation. Terrific dangers & troubles that we once called foreign now constantly live among us
Coup
General Khanh seizes full control of South Vietnam's Government
Memo
NSA Bundy & Defense Secretary McNamara send a memo to Johnson stating America's military involvement is Vietnam failing. Bundy & McNamara advise Johnson the U.S. has reached a fork in the road in Vietnam & must either soon escalate or withdraw
Memo
NSA Bundy & Defence SecretaryMcNamara send a memo to Johnson stating Americas military involvement is Vietnam failing. Bundy & McNamara advise Johnson the US has reached a fork in the road in Vietnam & must either soon escalate or withdraw
Presidential Succession Reform
Johnson urged Congress to establish clearer constitutional procedures for presidential disability and for filling a vacancy in the vice presidency.
Game Warden
Operation Game Warden begins U.S. Navy river patrols on South Vietnam's 3000 nautical miles of inland waterways
I Can't Explain
The Who release I Can't Explain, produced by Shel Talmy.
Memo
NSA Bundy & Defence SecretaryMcNamara send a memo to Johnson stating Americas military involvement is Vietnam failing. Bundy & McNamara advise Johnson the US has reached a fork in the road in Vietnam & must either soon escalate or withdraw
Visit to South Vietnam for the 1st time
National Security Adviser McGeorge Bundy visits South Vietnam for the 1st time
February
Siege of Pleiku
Viet Cong guerrillas attack the U.S. compound at Pleiku in the Central Highlands, killing 8 Americans, wounding 126 & destroying 10 aircraft
Bombing of Dong Hoi
Johnson approves Operation Flaming Dart, the bombing of a North Vietnamese army camp near Dong Hoi
Flaming Dart
Johnson approves Operation Flaming Dart, the bombing of a North Vietnamese army camp near Dong Hoi
Bombing of Dong Hoi
U.S. air attacks take place on bases at Dong Hoi in retaliation for Pleiku. The beginning of limited offensive attacks on military targets in North Vietnam
Operation Rolling Thunder
President Johnson authorizes Operation Rolling Thunder
Coup
General Khanh finally ousted from power and a new military/civilian Government installed, led by Dr. Phan Huy Quat
Assassination of Malcolm X
Assassinates Malcolm X
Assassination of Malcolm X
Assassinated addressing a rally at the Audobon Ballroom, Harlem, on the first day of National Brotherhood Week
Death of Malcolm X
Death of Malcolm X, assassinated
Siege of Da Nang
General Westmoreland requests 2 battalions of US Marines to protect the American air base at Da Nang from 6000 Vietcong
Bloody Sunday
His death inspires the Selma to Montgomery march.
Alliance Lyndon Baines Johnson and to counter the American "aggression
Prime Minister Kosygin is pressured by the North Vietnamese to provide unlimited military aid to counter the American "aggression"
Opinion Poll
Opinion polls shortly after the bombing indicate a 70 percent approval rating for the President and an 80 percent approval of U.S. military involvement
March
Operation Rolling Thunder
Begins sustained bombing of North Vietnam
Operation Rolling Thunder
Begins sustained bombing of North Vietnam under Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder
Scheduled to last 8 weeks, Rolling Thunder will continue for 3 yrs. Operation Rolling Thunder begins as over 100 American fighter-bombers attack targets in North Vietnam
Bloody Sunday
Helps shape the Selma voting rights campaign.
Bloody Sunday
Is beaten unconscious during the bridge attack.
Bloody Sunday
Local law enforcement confronts voting rights demonstrators.
Bloody Sunday
Media coverage spreads news of the attack.
Bloody Sunday
Orders marchers to disperse before troopers attack.
Bloody Sunday
Local voter registration struggle frames the march.
Bloody Sunday
SNCC activists support local demands for voting rights.
Bloody Sunday
Marches for voting rights on Bloody Sunday.
Bloody Sunday
Faces national outrage after the bridge attack.
Bloody Sunday
Learns that marchers have been attacked in Selma.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.