Escalation of the conflict under Johnson Flashcards

All 7 cards in this deck

What was the Gulf of Tonkin incident (1964)?

North Vietnamese torpedo boats were reported to have fired on US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin, giving Johnson a strong argument for US military action.

What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964) do?

Congress authorised Johnson to 'take all necessary measures' against North Vietnamese aggression, so he could escalate the war without further approval.

What Vietcong attack in 1965 showed their increasing threat to the USA?

The attack on the USAF base at Pleiku, an example of more ambitious Vietcong operations, which Johnson answered with bombing.

How strong had the Vietcong become in South Vietnam by the end of 1964?

They controlled about 35% of South Vietnam and were kept supplied with men and weapons from the North along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

True or false? It was later confirmed that North Vietnamese boats attacked US destroyers a second time on 4 August 1964.

False. Evidence later showed the second attack probably never happened, but Congress believed it had when it passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

When did the first US combat troops arrive in Vietnam, and what was their job?

In March 1965, when about 3,500 Marines landed to guard US air bases from Vietcong attack.

Roughly how many US troops were in Vietnam by 1968?

About half a million, up from nearly 200,000 at the end of 1965.