TIMELINE: Key dates in Chrysler's history

(Reuters) - Chrysler LLC has held talks with General Motors Corp about the possibility of a merger between the two U.S. automakers as both struggle to cut costs and shore up cash, people familiar with the talks have said. Chrysler has declined to comment, but Chief Executive Bob Nardelli has said the No. 3 automaker was talking to other parties about potential tie-ups.

Following are key events in Chrysler's history:

1928 - Chrysler acquires Dodge Brothers

1971 - Chrysler buys a 15 percent stake in its Japanese partner, Mitsubishi Motors, for $28.3 million. It sells off the equity over two decades

1978 - Chrysler sells its European operations to PSA Peugeot Citroen

1980 - U.S. President Jimmy Carter provides Chrysler with $1.5 billion in federal loan guarantees

1983 - Chrysler pays off the federal loan guarantees seven years ahead of schedule

1987 - Chrysler acquires American Motors Corp, then the fourth-largest U.S. automaker, for $800 million. The takeover puts the Jeep brand into Chrysler ownership

1991 - Chrysler sells its last remaining stake in Mitsubishi Motors

May 1998 - Germany's Daimler AG, maker of the premium Mercedes-Benz brand, announces a $36 billion deal to buy Chrysler, creating DaimlerChrysler

Feb 2007 - CEO Dieter Zetsche says all options are open for Chrysler in a shock announcement in response to pressure from Daimler investors to offload the U.S. unit

May 2007 - Daimler agrees to sell 80.1 percent of Chrysler to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP for $7.4 billion. Daimler keeps a 19.9 percent stake in Chrysler

Sept 2008 - Daimler confirms talks with Cerberus to sell its remaining 19.9 percent stake in Chrysler

Oct 2008 - Sources familiar with the situation say Chrysler has held merger talks with GM

(Compiled by Soyoung Kim; editing by Susan Kelly)