section 2-11 on august 2, 1964, president johnson announced that north vietnamese torpedo boats...

• On August 2, 1964, President Johnson announced that North Vietnamese torpedo boats fired on two American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Johnson and Vietnam (cont.)

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(pages 778–779)

• A similar attack reportedly occurred two days later.

• The USS Maddox had been engaged in intelligence gathering when it transmitted that it had been fired upon when it really hadn’t been.

• LBJ took this information and used it to escalate US involvement in the war. The Senate and the House passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on August 7, 1964, authorizing the president to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack on U.S. forces.

• Congress had given its war powers to the president.

Johnson and Vietnam (cont.)

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(pages 778–779)

• After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed, the Vietcong began attacking bases where American advisers were stationed in South Vietnam.

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Johnson and Vietnam (cont.)

(pages 778–779)

• After an attack in February 1965, Johnson sent aircrafts to strike in North Vietnam.

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Johnson and Vietnam (cont.)

(pages 778–779)

Ch 25 Sec 2 Review