Page 17 of USA A5 booklet (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, August 1964) Flashcards
When was JFK assassinated?
Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.
Who was JFK’s successor?
Lyndon B. Johnson
What happened in August 1964?
North Vietnamese gunboats opened fire on US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. On August 2nd the US Maddox exchanged shots with North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. 2 days later the Maddox and another destroyed once again reported coming under fire.
What did the US Congress do in response to the incidents in the Gulf of Tonkin?
The US Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution which gave Johnson the power to “take necessary measures to prevent further aggression and achieve peace and security”.
Johnson could now take the USA into a full scale war if he felt necessary.
What was the bombing campaign launched by LBJ called?
Operation Rolling Thunder
When did Operation Rolling Thunder start?
February 1965.
Why did LBJ launch Operation Rolling Thunder?
Following further VC attacks
What happened on the 8th March 1965?
On the 8th March 1965, 3 500 US marines came ashore at Da Nang, America was now at war with North Vietnam
What happened in the Gulf of Tonkin?
On August 2nd and August 4th 1964, an American destroyer, the USS Maddox, was attacked by 3 North Vietnamese gunboats.
What did the USS Maddox do before the fighting broke out?
They fired warning shots at the boats in an attempt to stop them and then opened fire.
What was damaged during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
1 US aircraft and 3 North Vietnamese gunboats were damaged.
What do many people think about the attack on August 4th?
Many people believe that this never happened and that it was an excuse used by the Americans to send soldiers to Vietnam.
What did US Congress pass as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident
They passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave LBJ the authority to help any south-east Asian country whose country was threatened by ‘communist aggression’.
What did LBJ use the Tonkin Gulf Resolution to justify?
Sending US marines to South Vietnam as he said they were under threat by the VC and North Vietnam.
What 2 reasons are there for why the USA may have wanted to started a war?
- The USA was still healing from the assassination of JFK (which had nothing to do with the communists) and LBJ wanted to take a tough stance against threats outside of the |USA.
- The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a perfect reason for the USA to send troops to S. Vietnam but without them appearing as the aggressor.
