What happened in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964?
It was originally claimed by the National Security Agency that a Second Gulf of Tonkin incident occurred on August 4, 1964, as another sea battle, but instead, evidence was found of "Tonkin ghosts" (false radar images) and not actual North Vietnamese torpedo boats.
Why did Johnson ask Congress to pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution?
He asked Congress to pass a resolution that would authorize him to take "all necessary measures" against further attacks. After Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, Johnson used it as permission to send troops to Vietnam.
When was Lyndon Johnson's speech on the Gulf of Tonkin?
August 4, 1964. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved October 27, 2009. ^ "Text of Lyndon Johnson's speech, Gulf of Tonkin Incident".
Why was the Gulf of Tonkin important to the Vietnam War?
Military engagements during the Vietnam War The Gulf of Tonkin incident (Vietnamese: Sự kiện Vịnh Bắc Bộ), also known as the USS Maddox incident, was an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War.
How did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution help new President Lyndon Johnson?
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorized President Lyndon Johnson to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression” by the communist government of North Vietnam.
What did President Johnson claim happened in the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964?
On August 2, 1964, the destroyer USS Maddox, while performing a signals intelligence patrol as part of DESOTO operations, was approached by three Vietnam People's Navy torpedo boats of the 135th Torpedo Squadron....Gulf of Tonkin incident.DateAugust 2 and 4, 1964ResultGulf of Tonkin Resolution; escalation of the War in Vietnam1 more row
What was the significance of the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964?
Overview of the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which led to the United States' becoming directly involved in the Vietnam War. By the night of August 4, the U.S. military had intercepted North Vietnamese communications that led officials to believe that a North Vietnamese attack on its destroyers was being planned.
What did President Johnson do after the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
In August 1964, in response to an alleged attack by North Vietnamese patrol boats on U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin, the U.S. Congress authorized Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson to take any action necessary to deal with threats against U.S. forces and allies in Southeast Asia.
What power did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution give to Johnson quizlet?
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? What Power did it give Johnson? In august of 1967 gave the abroad of approval for an expansion to the vietnam war. It gave Johnson to control military powers in Vietnam, the approval or choice of secret raids, and on wether or not american ships to fire or not.
What happened as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incident apex?
This prompted Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which gave the president the right to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the United States. This resolution and the Gulf of Tonkin incident resulted in the U.S. getting directly involved in Vietnam.
How did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution lead to the escalation of US troops involvement in the Vietnam War?
How did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution lead to the escalation of US troop involvement in the Vietnam War? It gave the president the ability to send troops without specific approval of Congress.
How did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution change the rules of war as outlined in the U.S. Constitution?
The War Powers Resolution allows a President to use U.S. forces in combat in the event of “a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.” But the President also needs to report to Congress within 48 hours of such a military action, and Congress has ...
Why did the Gulf of Tonkin incident help Johnson win the election?
This incident helped Johnson win the election, because the war on vietnam has already started, and if they choose another president, the other president might change the government plans
When did the Gulf of Tonkin attack happen?
The Gulf of Tonkin incident occurred on August 2 and 4, 1964 when the US Navy USS Turner Joy and USS Maddox destroyers participated in a controlling operation of the Gulf of Tonkin area in the which were attacked by four North Vietnamese torpedo boats as a retaliation for a previous strike.
What did George Ball say about the Gulf of Tonkin?
many people ... were looking for any excuse to initiate bombing". George Ball stated that the mission of the destroyer warship involved in the Gulf of Tonkin incident "was primarily for provocation.".
When did the second Gulf of Tonkin happen?
The National Security Agency originally claimed that another sea battle, the Second Gulf of Tonkin incident, occurred on August 4, 1964, but instead evidence was found of "Tonkin ghosts" (false radar images) and not actual North Vietnamese torpedo boats.
What did Schaperjahn say about Maddox's sonar?
Schaperjahn confirmed White's assertions that Maddox ' s sonar reports were faulty and the Johnson administration knew it prior to going to Congress to request support for the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. White's book explains the difference between lies of commission and lies of omission.
How fast was Maddox?
Maddox retreated, but the next day, August 2, Maddox, which had a top speed of 28 knots, resumed her routine patrol, and three North Vietnamese P-4 torpedo boats with a top speed of 50 knots began to follow Maddox. Intercepted communications indicated that the vessels intended to attack Maddox.
What was Herrick's report to the Commander in Chief Pacific in Honolulu?
By early afternoon of August 4, Washington time, Herrick had reported to the Commander in Chief Pacific in Honolulu that "freak weather effects" on the ship's radar had made such an attack questionable.
Why did Wayne Morse fight against the Maddox resolution?
While Johnson's final resolution was being drafted, U.S. Senator Wayne Morse attempted to hold a fundraiser to raise awareness about possible faulty records of the incident involving Maddox. Morse supposedly received a call from an informant who has remained anonymous urging Morse to investigate official logbooks of Maddox. These logs were not available before Johnson's resolution was presented to Congress. After urging Congress that they should be wary of Johnson's coming attempt to convince Congress of his resolution, Morse failed to gain enough cooperation and support from his colleagues to mount any sort of movement to stop it. Immediately after the resolution was read and presented to Congress, Morse began to fight it. He contended in speeches to Congress that the actions taken by the United States were actions outside the constitution and were "acts of war rather than acts of defense." Morse's efforts were not immediately met with support, largely because he revealed no sources and was working with very limited information. It was not until after the United States became more involved in the war that his claim began to gain support throughout the United States government.
What was the short statement of Johnson?
Johnson's statements were short to "minimize the U.S. role in the conflict; a clear inconsistency existed between Johnson's actions and his public discourse.". Within thirty minutes of the August 4 incident, Johnson had decided on retaliatory attacks (dubbed " Operation Pierce Arrow ").
Overview
The Gulf of Tonkin incident (Vietnamese: Sự kiện Vịnh Bắc Bộ) was an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War. It involved both a proven confrontation on August 2, 1964, carried out by North Vietnamese forces in response to covert operations in the coastal region of the gulf, and a second, claimed confrontation on August 4, 1964, between ships of North Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. …
Background
The Geneva Conference in 1954 was intended to settle outstanding issues following the end of hostilities between France and the Viet Minh at the end of the First Indochina War. Neither the United States nor State of Vietnam signed anything at the 1954 Geneva Conference. The accords, which were signed by other participants including the Viet Minh, mandated a temporary ceasefire line, which separated southern and northern Vietnam to be governed by the State of Vietnam an…
Incident
Daniel Ellsberg, who was on duty in the Pentagon the night of August 4, receiving messages from USS Maddox, reported that she was on a DESOTO mission near Northern Vietnamese territorial waters. On July 31, 1964, Maddox had begun her mission in the Gulf of Tonkin. Captain George Stephen Morrison was in command of local American forces from his flagship USS Bon Homme Richard. Maddox was under orders not to approach closer than eight miles (13 km) from North …
United States' response
Shortly before midnight, on August 4, Johnson interrupted national television to make an announcement in which he described an attack by North Vietnamese vessels on two U.S. Navy warships, Maddox and Turner Joy, and requested authority to undertake a military response. Johnson's speech repeated the theme that "dramatized Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh as the aggressor and which put the United States into a more acceptable defensive posture." Johnson also referred t…
Distortion of the event
The U.S. government was still seeking evidence on the night of August 4 when Johnson gave his address to the American public on the incident; messages recorded that day indicate that neither Johnson nor McNamara was certain of an attack. Various news sources, including Time, Life and Newsweek, published articles throughout August on the Tonkin Gulf incident. Time reported: "Through the darkness, from the West and south ... intruders boldly sped ... at least six of them ..…
Consequences
By early afternoon of August 4, Washington time, Herrick had reported to the Commander in Chief Pacific in Honolulu that "freak weather effects" on the ship's radar had made such an attack questionable. In fact, Herrick stated in a message sent at 1:27 pm Washington time that no North Vietnamese patrol boats had actually been sighted. Herrick proposed a "complete evaluation before any further action taken."
Later statements about the incident
Johnson commented privately: "For all I know, our navy was shooting at whales out there."
In 1967, former naval officer John White wrote a letter to the editor of the New Haven (CT) Register. He asserts "I maintain that President Johnson, Secretary McNamara and the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave false information to Congress in their report about US destroyers being attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin." White continued his whistleblowing activities in the 1968 documentary In the …
NSA report
In October 2005, The New York Times reported that Robert J. Hanyok, a historian for the NSA, concluded that the NSA distorted intelligence reports passed to policy makers regarding the August 4 incident. The NSA historian said agency staff "deliberately skewed" the evidence to make it appear that an attack had occurred. Hanyok's conclusions were initially published in the Winter 2000/Spring 2001 Edition of Cryptologic Quarterly about five years before the Times artic…