When did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution end?
Both houses of Congress passed the resolution on August 7. In later years, especially in view of subsequent revelations concerning U.S. policy and operations in Vietnam, many members of Congress came to see the resolution as giving the president a blanket power to wage war, and it was repealed in 1970. “Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.”
What was the result of the Gulf of Tonkin?
On August 7th, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which the president signed into law three days later, and plans to increase U.S. military involvement in Vietnam were begun in earnest. The results of those discussions became apparent a few months later.
What year was the Tonkin Gulf debate?
^ Tonkin Gulf debate 1964. ^ a b c Langguth 2000, p. 307. ^ a b Karnow 1983, p. 377. ^ Karnow 1983, p. 377-378.
When did the Gulf of Tonkin start and end?
Gulf of Tonkin incidentDateAugust 2 and 4, 1964LocationGulf of Tonkin 19°42′N 106°46′EResultGulf of Tonkin Resolution; escalation of the War in Vietnam
What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution do?
On August 7, 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing President Johnson to take any measures he believed were necessary to retaliate and to promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia.
What event led to the 1954 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Gulf of Tonkin incident, complex naval event in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of Vietnam, that was presented to the U.S. Congress on August 5, 1964, as two unprovoked attacks by North Vietnamese torpedo boats on the destroyers Maddox and Turner Joy of the U.S. Seventh Fleet and that led to the Gulf of Tonkin ...
What happened in the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964?
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurred in August 1964. North Vietnamese warships purportedly attacked United States warships, the U.S.S. Maddox and the U.S.S. C. Turner Joy, on two separate occasions in the Gulf of Tonkin, a body of water neighboring modern-day Vietnam.
Why was the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident a turning point in the Vietnam War?
Gulf of Tonkin 1964. ... The incident in the Gulf of Tonkin led to America's open entry into the Vietnam War. The Gulf of Tonkin is off the coast of what was North Vietnam. President Lyndon Johnson received different advice from his military advisors on how any possible war with the North Vietnamese might be fought.
When did the Vietnam War end?
April 30, 1975Vietnam War / End dateHaving rebuilt their forces and upgraded their logistics system, North Vietnamese forces triggered a major offensive in the Central Highlands in March 1975. On April 30, 1975, NVA tanks rolled through the gate of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, effectively ending the war.
Which president started Vietnam War?
The major initiative in the Lyndon Johnson presidency was the Vietnam War. By 1968, the United States had 548,000 troops in Vietnam and had already lost 30,000 Americans there. Johnson's approval ratings had dropped from 70 percent in mid-1965 to below 40 percent by 1967, and with it, his mastery of Congress.
Why was the Gulf of Tonkin incident significant?
It was passed on August 7, 1964, by the U.S. Congress after an alleged attack on two U.S. naval destroyers stationed off the coast of Vietnam. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution effectively launched America's full-scale involvement in the Vietnam War.
What started the Vietnam War?
Why did the Vietnam War start? The United States had provided funding, armaments, and training to South Vietnam's government and military since Vietnam's partition into the communist North and the democratic South in 1954. Tensions escalated into armed conflict between the two sides, and in 1961 U.S. President John F.
What actually happened in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 2 on August 4?
In August 1964, the USS Maddox destroyer was stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnam. On August 2, it was attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats. And then, two days later, on August 4, the Johnson administration claimed that it had been attacked again.
Who fired first in the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
North VietnameseAs it cruised along on August 2, it found itself facing down three Soviet-built, North Vietnamese torpedo boats that had come out to chase it away. The Maddox fired first, issuing what the U.S. authorities described as warning shots.
What treaty ended Vietnam War?
The United States, South Vietnam, Viet Cong and North Vietnam formally sign “An Agreement Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam” in Paris.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, also called Tonkin Gulf Resolution, resolution put before the U.S. Congress by Pres. Lyndon Johnson on August 5, 1964 , assertedly in reaction to two allegedly unprovoked attacks by North Vietnamese torpedo boats on the destroyers Maddox and C. Turner Joy of the U.S.
Which president was authorized to make war in the Gulf of Tonkin?
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.
What was the Vietnam War resolution?
The resolution served as the principal constitutional authorization for the subsequent vast escalation of the United States’ military involvement in the Vietnam War. Several years later, as the American public became increasingly disillusioned with the Vietnam War, many congressmen came to see the resolution as giving the president a blanket power to wage war, and the resolution was repealed in 1970.
When was the Vietnam War repealed?
Several years later, as the American public became increasingly disillusioned with the Vietnam War, many congressmen came to see the resolution as giving the president a blanket power to wage war, and the resolution was repealed in 1970.
When was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed?
Passed the Senate on August 7, 1964 ( 88-2) Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 10, 1964. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution or the Southeast Asia Resolution, Pub.L. 88–408, 78 Stat. 384, enacted August 10, 1964, was a joint resolution that the United States Congress passed on August 7, 1964, in response to the Gulf ...
What ship was deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin?
In support of the raids, an American destroyer, the USS Maddox was deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin with orders to collect electronic intelligence on the North Vietnamese radar system.
What did Johnson say about North Vietnam?
After the meeting, Johnson told one of his aides, Kenny O'Donnell, that he felt he was "being tested" by North Vietnam with both agreeing that how the president handled the crisis would affect the election. O'Donnell recalled that Johnson's main fear was the incident might allow his Republican opponent in the election, Senator Barry Goldwater, a chance to gain in the polls. O'Donnell added that Johnson felt that he "must not allow them [the Republicans] to accuse him of vacillating or being an indecisive leader".
Who voted for the Formosa Resolution?
Bundy argued that the "best answer" to this problem was an event from Johnson 's own career as a Senator when in January 1955 when he voted for the Formosa Resolution giving President Eisenhower the power to use military force "as he deems necessary" to protect Taiwan from a Chinese invasion.
Who ordered the pull together of the Bundy resolution?
The Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, ordered his staff to "pull together" the resolution Bundy had written in May–June, just in case Johnson decided to submit it to Congress. On 3 August 1963, the South Vietnamese in their Swift boats raided Cape Vinhson and Cua Ron.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution?
The United States Congress overwhelming approves the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Lyndon B. Johnson nearly unlimited powers to oppose “communist aggression” in Southeast Asia. The resolution marked the beginning of an expanded military role for the United States in the Cold War battlefields of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
What happened to Johnson in August?
role in Vietnam. On August 2, North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked an American destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin . Johnson responded by sending in another destroyer.
Why did Johnson's popularity rise?
Johnson’s popularity soared in response to his “restrained” handling of the crisis. The Johnson administration went on to use the resolution as a pretext to begin heavy bombing of North Vietnam in early 1965 and to introduce U.S. combat troops in March 1965.
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 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.".
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.
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 ").
Was there a political motive for the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
There was no political motive to their action. On November 30, 2005, the NSA released a first installment of previously classified information regarding the Gulf of Tonkin incident, including a moderately sanitized version of Hanyok's article.
Did the Gulf of Tonkin attack happen?
McNamara admitted that the August 2 USS Maddox attack happened with no Defense Department response, but the August 4 Gulf of Tonkin attack never happened. In 1995, McNamara met with former Vietnam People's Army General Võ Nguyên Giáp to ask ...
What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution?
Subsequently, Congress passed Public Law 88-408, which became known as the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, giving the president the power to take whatever actions he deemed necessary, including “the use of armed force.”.
What is the Senate vote to repeal the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Senate repeals Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. On an amendment offered by Senator Robert Dole (R- Kansas) to the Foreign Military Sales Act, the Senate votes 81 to 10 to repeal the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.
Why did Nixon repeal the Tonkin resolution?
Repealing the resolution was meant as an attempt to limit presidential war powers. The Nixon administration took a neutral stance on the vote, denying that it relied on the Tonkin resolution as the basis for its war-making authority in Southeast Asia.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
On August 5, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson sent a message to Congress asking for a Joint Resolution ''expressing the unity and determination of the United States in supporting freedom and protecting peace in Southeast Asia.'' Later in his message, President Johnson told the Congress exactly what he wanted.
Context of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident
As the Second World War was coming to a close, France wanted its colonies in Indochina that it had lost to the Japanese. President Franklin D. Roosevelt told the French that the United States was not in the business of propping up colonial regimes and that the U.S. would leave it up to the people of Vietnam to decide their own fate.
Gulf of Tonkin Incident Summary
The Gulf of Tonkin is the northwest arm of the South China Sea, bordered by North Vietnam on the west, China on the north, and Hainan Island on the east. Haiphong harbor is on the Gulf of Tonkin.
Overview
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution or the Southeast Asia Resolution, Pub.L. 88–408, 78 Stat. 384, enacted August 10, 1964, was a joint resolution that the United States Congress passed on August 7, 1964, in response to the Gulf of Tonkin incident.
It is of historic significance because it gave U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson authorization, without a formal declaration of war by Congress, for the use of conventional military force in South…
Towards the Incident
Throughout 1963, the Kennedy administration was concerned that the South Vietnamese regime of Ngo Dinh Diem was losing the war to the Viet Cong. Such concerns were intensified after Diem was overthrown and killed in a CIA-sponsored coup on 02 November 1963. On 19 December 1963, the Defense Secretary Robert McNamara visited Saigon and reported to President Lyndon B. Johnson that the situation was "very disturbing" as "current trends, unless reversed in the next tw…
Drafting
In February 1964, Walt Whitman Rostow, the director of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff pointed out a major constitutional problem with the plans to commit American forces to Vietnam, noting under the American constitution only Congress had the power to declare war. Johnson had made it clear that he was opposed to Khánh's plans to have South Vietnam invade North Vietnam out of the fear of causing a war with China, and he had even less enthusiasm for …
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Soviet-North Vietnamese relations had badly strained in the early 1960s as North Vietnam moved closer to China, the more militant and aggressive of the two warring Communist giants. When Mao Zedong denounced Nikita Khrushchev for his "cowardice" for choosing a diplomatic compromise to settle the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 instead of a nuclear war against the United States as M…
Congress votes
Early on the morning of 04 August 1964, Johnson told several congressmen at a meeting that North Vietnam had just attacked an American patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin in international waters and promised retaliation. At the same time, Johnson also stated that he wanted Congress to vote for a resolution of support. After the meeting, Johnson told one of his aides, Kenny O'Donnell, that he felt he was "being tested" by North Vietnam with both agreeing that how the president handle…
As a policy instrument
The passage of the resolution alarmed several American allies who preferred that the United States not fight in Vietnam such as Canada. J. Blair Seaborn, the Canadian diplomat who served as Canada's representative to the International Control Commission engaged in secret "shuttle diplomacy" carrying messages back and forth from Hanoi to Washington in an attempt to stop the escalation of the war. On 13 August 1964, Seaborn arrived in Hanoi to meet the North Vietname…
Repeal
By 1967, the rationale for what had become a costly U.S. involvement In the Vietnam War was receiving close scrutiny. With opposition to the war mounting, a movement to repeal the resolution—which war critics decried as having given the Johnson administration a "blank check"—began to gather steam.
An investigation by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee revealed that Maddox had been on an electronic …
External links
• Original Document: Tonkin Gulf Resolution
• Ourdocuments.gov
• Peters, Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Lyndon B. Johnson: "Special Message to the Congress on U.S. Policy in Southeast Asia," August 5, 1964". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara.