The Tonkin Gulf Incident and its ramifications

The Tonkin Gulf Incident, which occurred in August of 1964, is a watershed of sorts for the Vietnam War. Before August of 1964 American forces were largely advisory in nature, although they had been assuming more and more responsibility in clashes between ARVN and Viet Cong forces. After August of 1964 the United States began a buildup of American ground combat forces and started fairly quickly--by February of 1965--an air campaign against a variety of targets in North Vietnam and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail code-named Operation Rolling Thunder. It was almost as if then-President Lyndon Johnson was looking for an event to trigger more serious United States participation in the war.

The problem with the Tonkin Gulf Incident, raised slightly at the time and with increasingly vociference in later years, was the question of whether the precipitating event, the second night's attack on the U.S.S. Maddox and the U.S.S. Turner Joy, actually happened. Nonetheless, President Johnson used the incident to send a message to Congress urging them to act in helping stem the growth of Communism in Southeast Asia. On August 7, 1964, Congress passed a joint resolution which gave President Johnson essentially a free hand in Vietnam; in the words of the joint resolution, " . . .the United States is, therefore, prepared, as the President determines, to take all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist any member or protocol state of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty requesting assistance in defense of its freedom. . . ." Further, the resolution would not expire until the President was ready. Although not technically a declaration of war against North Vietnam, it served the same purpose.

Readings:

1. Kolko, pp. 163-187
2. Langguth, pp. 299-372

Military Operations:

1. Tonkin Gulf Incident
2. Operation Rolling Thunder

Questions for consideration and further discussion:

1. What were the DESOTO Patrols and why did the United States feel they were necessary?
2. Why was much made of the North Vietnamese patrol boats' attack on the U.S.S. Maddox, given the conjunction with OPLAN 34-A?
3. President Johnson seemed well-informed in his message to Congress of August 5; why might he have said in 1965, "For all I know, our Navy was shooting at whales out there"?
4. Might there have been another response to the Tonkin Gulf Incident by the President of the United States?
5. What larger issues might have kept the President from changing the course of the war after the military build-up and air campaign began?