The text eightyeighth congress of the united states of america at the second session. Gulf of tonkin vietnam war timeline september 2, 1945 ho chi minh declares an independent vietnam called the democratic republic of vietnam. They will determine the authority congress granted the president of the united states and the rationale congress used to justify this resolution. Two attacks by drv fast attack craft were described to the congress, one on the lone destroyer uss maddox. Johnson authorization, without a formal declaration of war by congress, for the use of military force in southeast asia. In november 1964, the viet cong mortared the bien hoa air base, damaging or destroying dozens of aircraft and killing or wounding about as many men. Gulf of tonkin incident top 10 clashes at sea time. For a decade the cia had been sending in south vietnamese teams on sabotage missions to the north. It involved one real and one falsely claimed confrontation between ships of north vietnam and the united states in the waters of the gulf of tonkin. Congress approved the resolution on august 7, 1964, authorizing a significant expansion of united states involvement in the vietnam war. The gulf of tonkin incident, also known as the uss maddox incident, was an international confrontation that led to the united states engaging more directly in the vietnam war.
Senate debate on the gulf of tonkin resolution 1964. Johnson as his authorization for united states intervention in southeast asia, has been. Congress passing the tonkin gulf resolution, which allowed then. The secretary of state, dean rusk, ordered his staff to pull together the resolution bundy had written in mayjune, just in case johnson. Tonkin gulf resolution authority granted by congress to president johnson in 1964 to approve and support in advance the determination of the president as commander in chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attacks against the u.
Jul 12, 2000 the gulf of tonkin incident was only one in a series of notable attacks on american forces in the region around this time. To promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast asia. The gulf of tonkin resolution was repealed because it gave the president of the united states almost unlimited military power. What was the gulf of tonkin resolution and was it good or. The gulf of tonkin resolution was essentially, a blank check where congress erroneously surrendered constitutional powers they should have never decided to surrender. This was the case during the vietnam war with the gulf of tonkin incident and resolution. On august 7, 1964, congress passed the gulf of tonkin resolution, authorizing president johnson to take any measures he believed were necessary to. Acting on the belief that hanoi would eventually weaken when faced with stepped up bombing raids, johnson and his advisers ordered the u.
President nixon signed leg islation yesterday that included repeal of the 1964 resolution. The gulf of tonkin resolution effectively launched americas fullscale involvement in the vietnam war. Gulf of tonkin resolution, resolution put before the u. May 7, 1954 the french are defeated at the battle of dien bien phu. As the author above explains, there were actually two incidents in the gulf of tonkin in august 1964, one on august 2nd in which the north vietnamese attacked a u. Congress repealed the 1964 gulf of tonkin resolution that authorized the escalation of the vietnam. In this activity, students will carefully analyze the draft version of the tonkin gulf resolution. In august 1964, after north vietnamese torpedo boats attacked u. On august 6, johnson went before congress and urged american.
President nixon agreed to repeal the gulf of tonkin resolution. The tonkin gulf resolution was drafted as the result of reports of unprovoked north vietnamese attacks on two united states naval vessels in the gulf of tonkin. It is unconstitutional for a president of the united states to use a lie or fabrication to convince congress to declare war. Gulf of tonkin incident encyclopedia article citizendium. Senators, 81 to 10, vote for repeal of tonkin action the. Johnsons determination to repel any armed attack against u. Tonkin gulf resolution, senate roll call tally sheet, 08071964. Effect of a repeal of the tonkin gulf resolution because the presidents inherent constitutional authority to employ military force abroad depends to a very considerable extent on the circumstances of the case, and, in particular, the extent to which such use of force is deemed essential for the preservation of american lives and property or the. But from 1965 onwards, as the war escalated, the death toll mounted and a credibility gap emerged over johnsons handling of the war, his critics thought it had all been too convenient. Republican of maryland, the original sponsor of the measure to repeal the tonkin resolution, argued that the result would be to create a legislative void on the conduct of the war. The resolution is cut and dry, wasting no time to convince readers beyond a few nononsense descriptions of northern vietnamese aggression. The gulf of tonkin resolution association for diplomatic. Our documents transcript of tonkin gulf resolution 1964.
Begun and held at the city of washington on tuesday, the seventh day of january, one thousand nine hundred and sixtyfour. Tonkin incident that prompted a soaring escalation of military intervention. Gulf of tonkin incident, complex naval event in the gulf of tonkin, off the coast of vietnam, that was presented to the u. Sen 88am1, misc roll calls, 88th congress, 2nd session. Peake has continued to push me and to help me to grow as a. Gulf of tonkin resolution article about gulf of tonkin. The tonkin gulf resolution suited johnsons tactics admirably. Congress by president lyndon johnson on august 5, 1964, assertedly in reaction to allegedly unprovoked attacks by north vietnamese torpedo boats on the u. The gulf of tonkin incident and the subsequent gulf of tonkin resolution provided the justification for further u. Skunks, bogies, silent hounds, and the flying fish. Johnson had pushed for the gulf of tonkin resolution because he thought.
Analyzing the gulf of tonkin resolution original draft. What was the gulf of tonkin resolution and was it good or bad. Tonkin gulf resolution national archives foundation. In tonkin gulf resolution, congress aint appealing to anyones emotions, or aiming for empathy. Congress on august 5, 1964, as two unprovoked attacks by north vietnamese torpedo boats on the destroyers maddox and turner joy and that led to the gulf of tonkin resolution. The encounter sparked the first open fighting between the united states and north vietnam, the first u. The gulf of tonkin resolution august 1964 was a joint resolution by the united states congress for the united states to begin the vietnam war. Gulf of tonkin resolution legal definition merriam. It is of historical significance because it gave u. In january 1971, congress repealed the gulf of tonkin resolution as popular opinion grew against a continued u. Senate debate on the gulf of tonkin resolution 1964 the us congress house of representatives passed the gulf of tonkin resolution unanimously, 4160.
The tonkin gulf resolution stated that congress approves and supports the determination of the president, as commander in chief, to take all necessary measures to repeal any armed attack against the forces of the united states and to prevent any further aggression. Going to war and going ahead with the law willamette university. The saddest thing about the gulf of tonkin resolution was how fast both houses voted for it without taking their time to verify the details surrounding the alleged torpedo attack. Gulf of tonkin document a modified gulf of tonkin resolution congressional joint resolution, august 7, 1964 the north vietnamese navy, in violation of the charter of the united nations and of international law, have deliberately and repeatedly attacked united states naval vessels lawfully. Document a modified gulf of tonkin resolution congressional. They are stating facts, pointing out the enemy, and then going to war. May 10, 2007 the gulf of tonkin resolution was essentially, a blank check where congress erroneously surrendered constitutional powers they should have never decided to surrender. American ships such as the maddox went on espionage missions in the norths coastal waters.
Gulf of tonkin resolution, also called tonkin gulf resolution, resolution put before the u. Johnsons retaliatory airstrike was one of the responses to the august incidents in the gulf of tonkin. Turner joy in the gulf of tonkin on august 2 and august 4, respectively. Another is the gulf of tonkin incident, a major milestone on americas road to war in vietnam.
Featuring 100 milestone documents of american history from the national archives. Johnson had pushed for the gulf of tonkin resolution because he thought having congress involved in the takeoff in his vietnam policy would protect him politically in the event of a. Gulf of tonkin resolution 1st edition by john galloway author isbn. Gulf of tonkin resolution legal definition of gulf of. July 21, 1954 the geneva accords declares a ceasefire for the. The gulf of tonkin resolution was a joint resolution of the u. The gulf of tonkin incident, in august 1964, was the event that led president lyndon b. Navy in vietnam gulf of tonkin incident yankee station 74472 duration. Although majorities in the house and senate pushed to end the bombings in. Secretary of state dean rusk was appointed in 1961 and was a major player in president johnsons decisions concerning the gulf of tonkin resolution.
This is significant because it displays the 21st century view on the gulf of tonkin resolution being a complete hoax. Johnson authorization, without a formal declaration of war by congress, for the use of conventional military force in southeast asia. By 1964, vietnam had been torn by international and civil war for decades. The gulf of tonkin resolution and the limits of presidential power august 7, 2019 by scott bomboy it was 55 years ago today that a joint session of congress approved the gulf of tonkin resolution, an act that led to the vietnam wars escalation and the eventual passage of another measure seeking to curb presidential powers. Washington, june 24 the senate voted today in favor of repeal of the 1964 gulf of tonkin resolution, once interpreted as the statutory equivalent of a declaration of war in vietnam. Gulf of tonkin resolution is repealed without furor the. Congress repealed the gulf of tonkin resolution in january 1971. However in the senate, the resolution was opposed by two of the 50 senators, who spoke against it during debates. The gulf of tonkin resolution and the limits of presidential. Gulf of tonkin resolution simple english wikipedia, the. The gulf of tonkin resolution and the limits of presidential power.
The original american report blamed north vietnam for both incidents, but the pentagon papers, the memoirs of robert mcnamara, and nsa publications from 2005, proved that the. This paper will demonstrate the many similarities between the gulf of tonkin resolution and h. Gulf of tonkin resolution is repealed without furor the new. A case in point is the gulf of tonkin resolution, which congress passed on. Includes images of original primary source documents, lesson plans, teacher and student competitions, and educational resources. The first resolution was passed august 10, 1964 and is known as the gulf of tonkin resolution h. The legal effect of the action, by a vote of 81 to 10, is prob ably minimal since the nixon administration has stated that it is not relying on the resolu tion, enacted. President johnson claimed that the north vietnamese had. The gulf of tonkin incident refers to two clashes on august 2 and august 4, 1964, but a national security agency document declassified in 2005 later revealed that the second attack did not actually occur. In august 1964 congress passed the tonkin gulf resolution 78 stat. Johnson to order air attacks on the democratic republic of vietnam north vietnam and vastly intensify u. Mcnamara and the real tonkin gulf deception by gareth porter for most of the last five decades, it has been assumed that the tonkin gulf incident was a deception by lyndon johnson to. Seventh fleet in the gulf of tonkin on august 2 and august 4, respectively.
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. Shown here is the senate roll call tally sheet for the tonkin gulf resolution on august 7, 1964, which gave president lyndon johnson authority to increase u. The gulf of tonkin resolution and the beginning of. The ambassador to south vietnam from 195761, elbridge durbrow was in paris at the time of the incident as a delegate to the nato conference. I am reminded of mississippi burning when i think of tonkin gulfa while back i did a book cd project on president who recorded themselves on audiotape see the. Gulf of tonkin resolution legal definition of gulf of tonkin. Johnson, allowed him to take any actions necessary to keep the peacesafety of the. Gulf of tonkin resolution legal definition merriamwebster.
Oct 11, 2017 the gulf of tonkin resolution explained. Res 1145, august 5, 1964 protocol to the manila pact, september 8, 1954. Congress passed on august 7, 1964 in direct response to a minor naval engagement known as the gulf of tonkin incident. Transcript of tonkin gulf resolution 1964 eightyeighth congress of the united states of america at the second session. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book.