Johnson's Initial Polices and Gulf of Tonkin Flashcards
Lyndon B Johnson Overview
- Vice president to JFK then assumed role of President
- Famed for escalating conflict
- Elected majority in 1964 but did not re stand for election 1968
- Novermber 1963 to Jan 1969
Who did Johnson retain from JFK’s administration and what were their ideologies?
McNamara and Rusk
- Keen followers of containment
Who led the doves?
Mike Mansfield
What did the doves warn regarding Vietnam?
Only way to win war in Vietnam was to gain popular support amongst Vietnamese and create a united and neutralised state
What was Johnson and his advisers reaction to the doves recommendation?
Dismissed the view by saying that this would be unnecessary if Diem’s successors introduced the political, economic and social reforms that were required in the South then US intervention would not be necessary
Americanised definition
Situation where the US would have direct control of the conduct of war
Neutralism definition
Scheme proposed by France that called for negotiated settlement and end South’s military links leaving it exposed to North
When was OPLAN 34A?
Jan 1964
What was OPLAN 34A?
Strategy based on convert action
‘progressively escalating pressure to inflict increasing punishment upon North Vietnam’
What was the increase of military advisers in Vietnam at the start of J’s administration?
16,000 to 23,300
When was the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
2nd August 1964
Summary of the first attack on the Gulf of Tonkin
N.V boats fired at USS Maddox but attack failed and 1 N.V boat sunk and 2 damaged
What happened 2 days after the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
Maddox and Turner Joy reported 2nd attack although great doubt to whether the incident actually occurred
What did Johnson order on the 4th August 1964?
Bombing of N.V naval bases
When was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
7th August 1964
What did the Resolution allow?
Gave Johnson the authority to take ‘all necessary measures’ and ‘all necessary steps’ to stop aggression and defend US forces in South-East Asia
What was the resolution also known as and what does it mean?
Blank Cheque
- A situation in which an agreement has been made that is open-ended or vague, and therefore subject to abuse
When was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution originally drafted?
6 months prior to the attack
How did the US provoke the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
By assisting the South Vietnamese in mounting secret military attacks against the North Vietnamese
What happened in the run up to the November election 1964?
NLF carried out a series of attacks and only two days before the election, the US air base near Saigon was mortared and four Americans were killed
