Why did Johnson escalate the war?

Question 1

Saigon government:

Answer 1

-Five leaders from 1964 and 1967 (1965 Dr Quat resigned and Ky & Thieu replaced him ‘bottom of the barrel’)
-US ambassador Cabot-Lodge and Maxwell Taylor support escalation (military focused)
-Increasing violence in SVN at US forces - Brinks Hotel bombing December 1964 and Pleiku air base 1965 Feb (8 US servicemen killed)

Question 2

Working group recommendations:

Answer 2

-Domino Theory is real
-Independent SV is crucial to US credibility
-Saigon is weak and needs escalation to survive
-Heavy bombing will force the North to negotiate
-Reinforcing ideas (like McNamara’s) that escalating will end the war

Question 3

Rolling Thunder:

Answer 3

-Code name for the heavy bombing of Vietnam (North and South)
-Plan is for an 8 week bombardment but it lasted 3 years
-67% Americans supported Rolling Thunder & escalation
-Seen as clinical/modern
-Alienates the South Vietnamese (meant to be helping them but they bear lots of the bombing)
-Dangerous for pilots who are shot down (not treated like POWs under Geneva convention)

Question 4

Protection for US air bases:

Answer 4

-March 1965 - 3,500 marines arrive at Danang on the coast
-April = 18,000 troops
-May 1965 Congress voted $700m for Vietnam (House 408-7 Senate 88-3 so nearly everyone votes to use the money)