what was true about the gulf of tonkin incident
What was true about the gulf of Tonkin incident? "15, Other intelligence supported the belief that an attack had occurred. In reality, McNamara knew full well that the 34A attacks had probably provoked the 2 August attacks on the Maddox. It was the beginning of the United States air assault against North Vietnam that lasted until the end of the war. NSAPAC REP VIETNAM 200100ZAUG64. Quoted in Dale Andrade and Kenneth Conboy, "The Secret Side of the Tonkin Gulf Incident," Naval History, 13:4, July/August 1999, pp. Several hours later, Captain John Herrick of the Maddox, after reviewing the events, sent the message, Review of action makes many reported contacts and torpedoes fired appear doubtful. Their overall objective was to disrupt North Vietnamese infiltration and support of South Vietnamese Communists, namely the Viet Cong. A myriad of issues confronted the new president, not the least of which was the ongoing crisis in Vietnam. Besides the situation in Vietnam, Johnson was very concerned with the upcoming election of 1964. McNamara was informed of this doubt but decided to remain quiet because Pierce-Arrow was already in motion. The first is done for you. For more on this topic see the following: Grand Delusion: U.S. Strategy and the Tonkin Gulf Incident, The Secret Side of the Tonkin Gulf Incident. 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. The following day, the Maddox found that it was being approached by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats. Write the correct present subjunctive form of the verb given. le tourisme responsable, c'est de ne plus voyager du tout. 16, No. C. Turner Joy, on two separate occasions in the Gulf of Tonkin, a body of . Five months ago that teamworkabout which we still know very littleresulted in the destruction of two pipelines, on orders of President Biden, with international implications yet to be determined. Updates? In July 1964, Lieutenant General William C. Westmoreland, commander of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, shifted the operation's tactics from commando attacks on land to shore bombardments using mortars, rockets, and recoilless rifles fired from South Vietnamese patrol boats.1, The U.S. Navy, meanwhile, had been conducting occasional reconnaissance and SIGINT-gathering missions farther offshore in the Tonkin Gulf. "22, Almost 90 percent of the SIGINT intercepts that would have provided a conflicting account were kept out of the reports sent to the Pentagon and White House. More than 40 years after the events, that all changed with the release of the nearly 200 documents related to the Gulf of Tonkin incident and transcripts from the Johnson Library. Freak weather effects on radar and overeager sonarmen may have accounted for many reports. Moreover, some intercepts were altered to show different receipt times, and other evidence was cherry picked to deliberately distort the truth. He admitted that the new SIGINT intercept "pins it down better than anything so far. Both ships began firing at what they thought were torpedo boats, and again they sought air support. In contrast, during the 2 August attack NSA listening posts monitored VHF communications between North Vietnamese vessels, HF communications between higher headquarters in Hanoi and the boats, and communication relays to the regional naval station. At the end of July 1964, MACV-SOG assaulted North Vietnamese installations on the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin. Originally, it was claimed by the National Security Agency that the North Vietnamese Navy fired torpedo boats towards the USS Maddox on August 4, 1964. Non-subscribers can read five free Naval History articles per month. Overhead, meanwhile, four F8 Crusaders that the Maddox had called in earlier from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) were rapidly approaching. What should have stood out to the U.S. leadership collecting all the data of these attacks was that, with the exception of the battle report, no other SIGINT "chatter" was detected during the attacks on 4 August. Both the Maddox and the C. Turner Joy fired repeatedly into the stormy night. Maddox.The events led to Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which allowed the president to increase U.S. involvement in Vietnam without Congressional approval. "17, McNamara considered the report, coupled with Admiral Sharp's belief the attack was authentic, as conclusive proof. There were a number of key events in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident: The USS Maddox was sent to support the South Vietnamese mercenaries. Several reported torpedoes were probably boats themselves which were observed to make several close passes on MADDOX. The Johnson administration distorted the incident to provide a pretext for escalating American involvement in Vietnam d. A. What is the Gulf of Tonkin incident and why is it controversial? On the night of 30-31 July, the destroyer was on station in the Gulf of Tonkin when a 34A raid was launched against Hon Me Island. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . B. The Maddox was in the Gulf of Tonkin to collect signals intelligence on North Vietnam. 8. External sources are not required for the short papers. In 1964, the American government claimed that American naval ships had been attacked in territorial waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. Torpedo boats and fuel storage facilities were destroyed. Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president later that day. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a joint resolution passed by the United States Congress in 1964 that gave 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B Johnson, the authority to deploy military forces in Southeast Asia without formally declaring war. Moreover, another intercepted report seemed to confirm that the attack had in fact taken place, and thus Herricks caution was not taken seriously. "16 Amid all the other confusion and growing doubt about the attack, this battle report was a compelling piece of evidence. ), pp. Pierce-Arrow was a limited airstrike on North Vietnamese targets on August 5, 1964. Hanyok, "Skunks, Bogies, Silent Hounds," p. 47. Historians still disagree over whether Johnson deliberately misled Congress and the American people about the Tonkin Gulf incident or simply capitalized on an opportunity that came his way. Specially equipped with a communications intercept van and 17 SIGINT specialists, she was to patrol in international waters off the North Vietnamese coast, from the demilitarized zone (DMZ) north to the Chinese border. Still other targets appeared from the east, mimicking attacking profiles of torpedo boats. What was true about the gulf tonkin incident? Furthermore, the evidence suggests a disturbing and deliberate attempt by Secretary of Defense McNamara to distort the evidence and mislead Congress. This was true from this first airstrike when two American aircraft were shot down during Pierce-Arrow. What was the primary political issue that Carter used in his presidential campaign? CINCPACFLT 140203ZJuly64. It showed the military superiority of the South Vietnamese. All of the enemy boats were heading northwest at about 40 knots, two in front of the third by about a mile. More and more saw poverty from the failure of individuals to take full advantage of the American system. We may never know the whole truth behind the Tonkin events and the motivations of those involved. Subsequently, the White House carried the nation into the longest and one of the most costly conflicts in our nation's history. In August 1964, the United States entered the Vietnam War after reports of an unprovoked attack in the Gulf of Tonkin. . Alvarez was finally released in 1973. Decommissioned in 1982, she is now a museum ship in Bremerton, Washington. The Gulf of Tonkin theory. At roughly the same time, the USS Maddox engaged in electronic surveillance also in the Gulf. 1964 promised to be a volatile year in an already charged arena. C. She asked free Black people to pose as enslaved servants in Critique does not simply mean Who was the leader of the movement to stop the Equal Rights Amendment? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Quoted in Robert Hanyok, "Skunks, Bogies, Silent Hounds, and the Flying Fish: The Gulf of Tonkin Mystery, 24 August 1964," Cryptological Quarterly, Winter 2000/Spring 2001, p. 6. . The Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964 proved to be America's key entry point to war in Vietnam. Naval Academy. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 4, Summer 2004, p. 75. Forty-eight hours earlier, on Aug. 2, two US destroyers on patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin the Maddox and the Turner Joy were attacked by North Vietnamese boats. Tensions heightened in the Tonkin Gulf. In these shorter essays, you are expected to make a strong argument about a specific week's readings, and to support this argument with theoretical and empirical evidence. Suggest complete evaluation before any further action taken."13. It showed the willingness of North Vietnam to make peace. On 28 July, the Maddox sortied from Taiwan en route to her Desoto patrol station. Was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident true? The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was a pair of alleged attacks by North Vietnamese gunboats on two American destroyers in August of 1964 in the Gulf of Tonkin. various battlefields. In his award-winning 2003 video memoirs Fog of War, he remained unapologetic and even bragged of his ability to deceive: "I learned early on never answer the question that is asked of you. I, Vietnam 1964 (section 278). Confederate leaders' households. Hanyok claimed that "The overwhelming body of reports, if used, would have told the story that no attack occurred. "19 Despite his reservations, Stockdale led a strike of 18 aircraft against an oil storage facility at Vinh, located just inland of where the alleged attacks on the Maddox and Turner Joy had occurred. Analyze the effects of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed under the Lyndon Johnson administration during the Vietnam War, Learn about some key points on the Gulf of Tonkin incident leading to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, 1964, https://www.britannica.com/event/Gulf-of-Tonkin-incident, HistoryNet - Gulf of Tonkin Incident: Reappraisal 40 Years Later, U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian - U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War: The Gulf of Tonkin and Escalation, 1964. 25. Drea, "Tonkin Gulf Reappraisal," p. 5. But, interestingly, on Sept. 18, a similar incident occurred in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Maddox, with its superior firepower and better defenses easily thwarted the attack. On 2nd August, 1964, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats travelled towards the Maddox. 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 . In return, the lead vessel launched a torpedo and veered away. The events led to Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which allowed the president to increase U.S. involvement in Vietnam without Congressional approval. In fact, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, as it became known, turned out to be a fictitious creation courtesy of the government to escalate war in Vietnam leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of U.S. troops and millions of Vietnamese, fomenting the largest anti-war movement in American history, and tarnishing . In early August 1964, Johnsons and McNamaras zeal for aggressive action in Southeast Asia led to full U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, which cost the lives of more than 58,000 American service men and women.Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. Answer (1 of 8): Yes. Johnson, leaning heavily on the same team of advisors that Kennedy had appointed, did not approve of the troop build-up that many were calling for, but kept the increase of American personnel relatively modest. In early 1964, South Vietnam began conducting a covert series of U.S.-backed commando attacks and intelligence-gathering missions along the North Vietnamese coast. Both houses of Congress passed the resolution on August 7, the House of Representatives by 414 votes to nil, and the Senate by a vote of 88 to 2. The Kerner Commission explained urban riots as the result of which of the following, Black frustration with the hopelessness of urban poverty, The Stonewall incident that catalyzed the gay rights movement occurred when __________, Bar patrons in New York City protested a police raid. August 5, 2014. Congress concluded that it had been caused by China. Why Norway? Resulted from a minor naval conflictc. In reality, there was no coordination between the forces conducting the operations. When President Johnson asked during a 4 August meeting of the National Security Council, "Do they want a war by attacking our ships in the middle of the Gulf of Tonkin?" The United States was playing a dangerous game. On 4 August 1964 two U.S. destroyers were again in the middle of the Gulf of Tonkin. No actual visual sightings by MADDOX. But no declassified information had suggested that McNamara, Johnson, or anyone else in the decision-making process had intentionally misinterpreted the intelligence concerning the 4 August incident. by John Prados. Additionally, messages that were forwarded contained "severe analytic errors, unexplained translation changes, and the conjunction of two messages into one translation." Libby Prison. www.WhiteHouseTapes.org. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution or the Southeast Asia Resolution, Pub. Fifty years ago, in what came to be known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, North Vietnamese patrol boats attacked the U.S.S. (20) The more astute cardboard-roll hangers wait until they have been placed in the closet, out of view, before they collapse. Ill give more brainly points, Which statement best illustrates how Elizabeth Van Lew was able to organize D. President Johnson acted before all the facts became known. Among the most revealing documents is a study of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents by NSA historian Robert J. Hanyok. Even though Pierce-Arrow was ordered shortly after the dubious reports of the second attack on the Maddox and Turner Joy, Johnson addressed the nation at 11:30 PM eastern time about the confrontation in the Gulf of Tonkin. Richmond socialites. Combined with recently declassified tapes of phone calls from White House officials involved with the events and previously uncovered facts about Tonkin, these documents provide compelling evidence about the subsequent decisions that led to the full commitment of U.S. armed forces to the Vietnam War. Hanyok, "Skunks, Bogies, Silent Hounds," p. 24. 5-8; Andrade and Conboy, "The Secret Side.". TURNER JOY reports two torpedoes passed near her.14, McNamara phoned Sharp at 1608 Washington time to talk it over and asked, "Was there a possibility that there had been no attack?" Please. Hanyok, "Skunks, Bogies, Silent Hounds," p. 13. Five months ago that teamworkabout which we still know very littleresulted in the destruction of two pipelines, on orders of President Biden, with international implications yet to be determined. On August 2, 1964, the U.S. destroyer USS Maddox was performing its intelligence-gathering mission in the Gulf of Tonkin. Anderson, David L., Editor. Episode 2450 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story more about how the Norwegian Navy participated in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. At the same time, two other South Vietnamese commando boats carried out a similar attack against Hon Ngu Island, more than 25 miles to the south.4. President Jonson took these claims to Congress which subsequently passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The Gulf of Tonkin incident irreversibly changed the outcome of the war, which is especially tragic considering one major fact: the incident was a hoax. Have interviewed witnesses who made positive visual sightings of cockpit lights or similar passing near MADDOX. You must include thesis statement, 4 body paragraphs and other reading and a conclusion to wrap up your debate (19) Immediately after placing a load upon the hanger, however minuscule, the cardboard tube collapses into its natural equilibrium-the classic V-shape. After missions in December 1962 and April of the next year, patrols were scheduled for 1964 in the vicinity of OPLAN 34A raids. Jim and Sybil Stockdale, In Love and War (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1990, rev. In the meantime, as a demonstration of presence and power, The Maddox was joined by the USS Turner Joy. Freak weather effects on radar and overeager sonarmen may have accounted for many reports. Gulf of Tonkin incident The Gulf of Tonkin incident was a 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. The Gulf Tonkin Incidents were the pretext for President Johnson to create and ultimately pass the Gulf Tonkin Resolution, which ultimately allowed the US to escalate the Vietnam War (also known as the Second Indochina War) into a large-scale war. Pat Bauer graduated from Ripon College in 1977 with a double major in Spanish and Theatre. Explanation: President Lyndon Johnson utilized the Gulf of Tonkin occurrence to enlarge the war. 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. . On August 2, the North Vietnamese navy retaliated, sending 3 torpedo boats to engage the Maddox. Seventh Fleet and that led to the Gulf of Tonkin. a woman's right to choose in the first trimester. . 4. The enemy ship could also have been damaged. Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, directed by Errol Morris, Sony Pictures, 2003. allowed for the president to send combat troops to Vietnam. The Southeast Asia Resolution, or Gulf of Tonkin Resolution as it became better known, was proposed on August 6 and passed unanimously by the House of Representatives on August 7 and 88-2 in the Senate. The police used tear gas and billy clubs against anti-war protesters, and members of the New Left and the black power movement who were demonstrating outside the convention. The Maddox called in air support from a nearby carrier, the Ticonderoga. Army Colonel H. R. McMaster, author of the highly acclaimed 1997 book Dereliction of Duty, accused Johnson and McNamara of outright deception: To enhance his chances for election, [Johnson] and McNamara deceived the American people and Congress about events and the nature of the American commitment in Vietnam. All of the following are true about the Gulf of Tonkin incident and the ensuing resolution EXCEPT c. The Johnson administration distorted the incident to provide a pretext for escalating American involvement in Vietnam 1. From two boats, South Vietnamese commandos fired machine guns and small cannon at the island's radar and military installations. The US Navy destroyer had shipping container on its decked fitted out with electronic monitoring equipment gathering radio/radar (signals intelligence) information on North Vietnam. False reports were also presented, and the president didn't know about them. 3. She hired former Confederate soldiers to gather information from Unlike much else that followed, this incident is undisputed, although no one from the US government ever admitted publicly that the attack was likely provoked by its covert actions. On August 2, 1964 the USS Maddox was on DEOSTO Patrol in international waters off North Vietnam. Rather than being on a routine patrol Aug. 2, the U.S. destroyer Maddox was actually engaged in aggressive intelligence-gathering maneuvers in sync with coordinated attacks on North Vietnam by the South Vietnamese navy and the Laotian air force. Funny how no one mentions the fact the Gulf Of Tonkin incident, the false flag event that 'justified' the Vietnam war. August 4, 2015. Sign up to get updates about new releases and event invitations. She recruited other Unionists, including government clerks In addition to the difficult detection conditions, the Maddox's SPS-40 long-range air-search radar and the Turner Joy's SPG-53 fire-control radar were both inoperative.9 That night, Herrick had the two ships move out to sea to give themselves maneuver space in case of attack. 2. 15. One pilot was killed, Richard Sather, and another was captured, Everett Alvarez, who was held in Hoa Lo Prison, better known as the Hanoi Hilton, for eight years. OB. operating in the coastal waters, inspecting suspicious incoming junks, seeking to deter and prevent the infiltration of both men and material." Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh has shed more light on US-Norwegian military cooperation which started after the end of the Second World War, and evoked memories of the controversial Gulf of Tonkin incident that opened the door to the . The South Vietnameseconducted OPLAN 34A raids and the U.S. Navy's Desoto patrols could be perceived as collaborative efforts against North Vietnamese targets. The Columbia History of the Vietnam War. McNamara instead declared that "our Navy played absolutely no part in, was not associated with, was not aware of, any South Vietnamese actions, if there were any. A joint resolution of Congress dated August 7, 1964, gave the president authority to increase U.S. involvement in the war between North and South Vietnam and served as the legal basis for escalations in the Johnson and Nixon administrations that likely dwarfed what most Americans could have imagined in August 1964. Naval Institute Photo archive. Codenamed Operations Plan (OPLAN) 34A, the activities were conceived and overseen by the Department of Defense, with the support of the Central Intelligence Agency, and carried out by the South Vietnamese Navy. President Johnson acted before all the facts became known. C'estr difficile pour nous de changr nos modes de vie. The North Vietnamese were oblivious to the confusion it would generate. Johnson and his advisers had approved retaliatory strikes on North Vietnamese naval bases as soon as the reports of the apparent attack of August 4 came in.
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