The Gulf of Tonkin attack has stirred controversies that have persisted for decades. Classified documents and tapes, that were once classified, have been released recently. These materials have paved the way to the possibility that distorted facts led to the United States engagement in the Vietnam War.
There is no arguing the fact that a North Vietnamese patrol boat attacked the USS Maddox while the ship was patrolling in the Gulf on August 2nd, 1964. What is in contention are the subsequent actions of the United States officials in the coming days. The actions taken by the U.S. officials has been shrouded in mystery since that night.
Hundreds of documents have been declassified and released to the public. These documents have helped to show the events in the Gulf during that time. The papers include phone transcripts, interviews, radio messages, and the time line of events developed by officials at the Department of Defense. This official paperwork provides persuasive evidence about the actions leading to the involvement of the United States in Vietnam.
South Vietnam began a clandestine series of Special Forces attacks and recon missions to the North Vietnamese border in 1964. The Defense Department, along with the CIA, conceived and oversaw the activities and the missions were executed by the South Vietnamese Navy. South Vietnamese soldiers …show more content…
We do, however, need to understand the importance of the situation so we can put what we do know into context. The Johnson administration's eagerness for action against the North Vietnamese made it easy to draw conclusions and dismiss circumstantial evidence. This led to a rush to war instead of a cautious political avenue. Without the entire story, Congress could not provide the correct guidance required. Subsequently, the United States lived through one of the longest and deadliest conflicts in our nation's
There is no arguing the fact that a North Vietnamese patrol boat attacked the USS Maddox while the ship was patrolling in the Gulf on August 2nd, 1964. What is in contention are the subsequent actions of the United States officials in the coming days. The actions taken by the U.S. officials has been shrouded in mystery since that night.
Hundreds of documents have been declassified and released to the public. These documents have helped to show the events in the Gulf during that time. The papers include phone transcripts, interviews, radio messages, and the time line of events developed by officials at the Department of Defense. This official paperwork provides persuasive evidence about the actions leading to the involvement of the United States in Vietnam.
South Vietnam began a clandestine series of Special Forces attacks and recon missions to the North Vietnamese border in 1964. The Defense Department, along with the CIA, conceived and oversaw the activities and the missions were executed by the South Vietnamese Navy. South Vietnamese soldiers …show more content…
We do, however, need to understand the importance of the situation so we can put what we do know into context. The Johnson administration's eagerness for action against the North Vietnamese made it easy to draw conclusions and dismiss circumstantial evidence. This led to a rush to war instead of a cautious political avenue. Without the entire story, Congress could not provide the correct guidance required. Subsequently, the United States lived through one of the longest and deadliest conflicts in our nation's