Fifty Years Ago Yesterday
On 10 August 1964, Public Law 88-408 was signed by the POTUS, and became effective.
It’s better known today as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. That resolution was described by then-Undersecretary of State Nicholas Katzenbach as “the functional equivalent of a declaration of war.”
The resolution was passed by Congress at the request of the LBJ administration in Joint Assembly of Congress on 7 August 1964. A “pair” of “hostile fire incidents” in the Gulf of Tonkin involving US Navy ships – the destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy – on the nights of 1- 2 and 3-4 August 1964 were the stated reason for the LBJ administration’s request.
The first incident involving the USS Maddox was legitimate. Best evidence indicates that the second “incident” involving both ships actually was not a hostile fire incident at all, but was due to sonar/radar reflections being misinterpreted as possible hostile vessels and torpedo tracks.
In reality, there was no second “hostile fire incident”. In 1999, Robert McNamara – SECDEF at the time of the incidents – publicly acknowledged that fact.
The evidence also indicates that LBJ likely knew full well that the second incident was questionable, and probably had not actually happened. He chose to ask Congress for the resolution nonetheless.
Why? LBJ was wary of appearing “soft on Communism”. His opponent in the upcoming 1964 Presidential Election – Senator Barry Goldwarter of Arizona – was widely viewed as the more strongly conservative, anticommunist candidate. Getting Congressional backing for stronger action in Vietnam would neutralize Vietnam as a political issue – particularly if LBJ reacted strongly to a “provocation”.
Further, LBJ had been urged over 2 months earlier by his Foreign Affairs Advisor, McGeorge Bundy, to declare the defense of Vietnam “essential” to the US – and that a declaration of authority and intent to use force was desirable. And of course, there’s this statement by LBJ to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in December 1963 (some of whom were also pushing for more US involvement in Vietnam): “Just get me elected, and then you can have your war.”
At the time of his statement to the Joint Chiefs, LBJ may well have been playing one faction against another – classic “backroom politics”, at which LBJ was a master. But by mid-1964, that no longer appears to have been the case.
The resolution gave LBJ carte blanch authority to maneuver the US into Vietnam in strength – without further consultation with Congress. He did exactly that, by stealth, beginning in early 1965.
After he’d been reelected.
The Army Times has an excellent article today on the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. It’s worth a read.
And afterwards, maybe also take a moment to remember those who didn’t come back from that questionable conflict.
Category: Disposable Warriors, Historical, Politics, Reality Check
Whenever folks would argue that we were fighting an undeclared war in the old Republic of Viet Nam, I always maintained (and still do) that the GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION was, in fact, a formal declaration of war, containing all the necessary legal elements, for it was passed by Congress, at the request of the President, citing the justification, identifying the enemy, and stating the goal.
A few years ago, I was surprised to learn that the attack on the USS MADDOX was in response to the USS MADDOX (or some other United States Navy ship?) landing a raiding party of South Vietnamese commandos on the shores of North Viet Nam, and providing the raiding party with communication support.
Ah, but with the passing of years, my memory is becoming increasingly faulty and scrambled, so maybe I’ve got the details off a bit.
JRM: actually, no – the USS Maddox was conducting operations only marginally related to those of the RVN commandos.
It’s long, but the second link above – which was complied by an NSA historian, and has since been declassified – is fascinating. It also gives the background on what the USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy were doing at the time.
Johnson got his resolution and his reelection. In return, we got a hugely enlarged Vietnam War.
Personally, I prefer what happened 30 years ago today (11 Aug 84): On that day, President Reagan announced “My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes.”
Ah, the good old days….
the famous mike check… yeah, I bought a T-shirt on Victory Drive that had that printed on it – wore that shirt for decades.
I just now got back from chow.
On my way to the mess hall, I picked up my “snail” mail, and there was my latest issue of VFW magazine with its articles about the war transpiring in the old Republic of Viet Nam during the year, 1967.
Lo, and behold, they have an article about the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution!
Do you remember watching movies produced by the team of Golan and Globus, including, “THE HANOI HILTON”?
At Debbie Schlussel’s web site, she’s reporting the passing of Menahem Golan, at the age of 89, who was a fighter pilot during Israel’s 1948 war for independence.
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/73913/menahem-golan-legendary-israeli-producer-dies-maker-of-delta-force-death-wish-sequels-exposed-islamic-terrorism/
Almost did a post here about this event.
The politics don’t mean nothing.
The Wall says all that matters.
Robin Williams, star of “GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!”, dead at 63, possible suicide, wife heartbroken.