Gulf of Tonkin Incident
August 2nd-4th, 1964
On August 2nd, 1964, the American destroyer USS Maddox is running a Signal Intelligence patrol in international waters near North Vietnam. 3 Vietnamese P-4 Torpedo Boats,T-333, T-336, T-339, who were part of the 135th Torpedo Squadron, approached to 10 nautical miles (11.5078 miles, 18.52 kilometers. The USS Maddox fired 3 warning shots. The North Vietnamese Torpedo Boats attacked with machine guns and torpedos, with 2 approaching within 5 nautical miles (5.7539 miles, 9.26 kilometers). The Maddox responded with over 280 3 inch (75mm and 5 inch(130mm). 4 USN F-8 Crusader Jets launched from the nearby aircraft carrier, the USS Ticonderoga, and attacked the Torpedo Boats. All 3 Torpedo Boats took moderate to severe damage, with 4 deaths and 6 injuries. The USS Maddox took 1 14.5x114mm (.57 caliber) bullet to its superstructure, and 1 F-8 was slightly damaged.
The 2nd Attack, on August 4th, didn’t happen, as admitted by United States Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Vietnam People's Army General Võ Nguyên Giáp, Ex-CIA Agent Raymond McGovern, and many other sources. August 4th, 1964, the USS MAddox and the USS Turner Joy where launched on a patrol mission near the North Vietnam-International Waters boundary. During the evening and early morning, in which both Destroyers experienced rough weather and heavy seas. They both received radio, radio and sonar signals, which they believed was an attack from the North Vietnamese navy. They fired on radar targets and performed evasive maneuvers for 4 hours, claiming 2 torpedo boats sunk. However, no wreckage, bodies, or other physical records exist supporting these claims.
The US president, Lyndon B. Johnson, had been attacked. However, at 1:27 Washington time, it was acknowledged that the attack might have not happened. Despite this, shortly before midnight on August 4th, LBJ made a television announcement that US Navy vessels had been attacked by the North Vietnamese Navy.
On August 7th, 1964, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed in the senate 98-2. It gave the President authorization to send conventional military forces, without declaring war, to help SEATO members. This included sending troops. It was repealed in 1973 with the War Powers Act.
History project cold war news thing
you know which one, myself and/or intruder
First segment: 3 Minute 12 Seconds
Second segment: 1 Minute 30 Seconds
Third segment: 2 Minute 41 Seconds
7 seconds to spare, not including editing
Hi. I’m David, your overpaid newscaster. This is breaking news! American ships in the Gulf of Tonkin off the North Vietnamese coast have been attacked. Or have they?
And the President has been granted new powers to fight communism in SouthEast Asia.
On August 2nd, the USS Maddox was deployed on a patrol [Clears throat] *not* [Emphasis on not] spy on North Vietnam. It was then approached by 3 North Vietnamese Torpedo Boats.
After the Torpedo Boats closed in to within 10 nautical miles, the USS Maddox fired 3 warning shots. [Pause] Because of course they did. The Torpedo Boats *naturally*[emphasis on naturally] launched a counterattack, firing torpedoes and machine guns, and closing in to within 5 nautical miles. The Maddox called in 4 F-8 Crusader jets to attack the Torpedo Boats. Take a gander at who won the encounter.
2 days later, on August 4th, the USS Maddox and Turner Joy were launched on a patrol mission. Both encountered heavy seas and rough weather. Both received radio, radio and sonar signals, which they believed was another attack. They fired on radar targets and performed evasive maneuvers for 4 hours, claiming 2 boats sunk. However, no wreckage, bodies, or other physical records exist supporting these claims.
In the end, it turned out that the 2nd attack, never happened, as confirmed by United States Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, a Vietnam People's Army General, whose pronunciation of their name is above my payroll, and Ex-CIA Agent Raymond McGovern. 60,000 US lives well spent.
US President Lyndon B. Johnson was told that both of these attacks had happened, and passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, allowing him to deploy troops to SEATO members without congress.
And thats all the time we have for this [pause] intriguing misadventure of our *competent* [emphasis on competent] military and government. Now for our Kennedy v. Johnson debate.