Tonkin Gulf Incident

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What would Make someone do this?
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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• 1954
• French Fall at Dien Bien Phu
• Vietnam divided along the 17th Parallel

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• Communist North- Ho Chi Minh
• We hold these truths to be self evident, that
  all men are created equal . . .
• Supported by VC-Vietcong

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• Democratic South- Ngo Dinh Diem
• Wins disputed election.
• Favors Catholics(10) over Buddhists(70)
• Catholics own most of land, positions in
  government.
• Reinforces anti-Buddhists laws, displaying
  Buddhist flags on holidays.
• Communists death squads

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• 1954
• Communist insurrection develops in Vietnam
• U.S. dispatches advisers to South Vietnam.

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• 1961
• JFK sends Green Berets to South Vietnam to train
  ARVN(Army of the Republic of Vietnam)
• Pay any price . . .

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• 1964
• U.S. warships cruise the North Vietnamese coast
• Why
• 1. scare them
• 2. gather information
• 3. provoke them
• 4. protect our interests

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• August 2, 1964
• Maddox attacked by several North Vietnamese
  patrol boats.
• Returns fire, sinking one, and damaging two
  others, no U.S. casualties.

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• August 4, 1964
• Maddox and C. Turner Joy report 2nd attack, and
  return fire.
• Evidence does not support this attack.
• Explanations

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• Truth
• Weather or equipment malfunction
• Human error
• Lie

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• Hell, those dumb stupid sailors were just
  shooting at flying fish.
• LBJ

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Tonkin Gulf Incident

• August 4, 1964
• Take all necessary measures to repel any armed
  attack against the forces of the United States
  and to prevent further aggression.
• Take all steps to assist SEATO in defense of
  freedom.
• Resolution shall expire when the president shall
  determine that peace and security is assured.

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Domino Theory