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The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
President Johnson had fears about a looming war. Then on August 2, 1964 a Vietnamese patrol boat supposedly fired on the USS Maddox. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
As a result of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, the US fired on the North Vietnamese (Aug. 4) just four days later the Tonkin Gulf Resolution was put in place. This granted President Johnson military power, allowing him to send in troops without declaring war. -
Start of Operation Rolling Thunder
After being approved by Johnson on February 13th, 1965, Operation Rolling Thunder began. It cinsisted of over 50,000 US troops being deployed to Vietnam, in response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. It was supported by many Americans at the time because of the credibility gap between the government's reports and actual events, it ended November 1st, 1968. -
Tet Offensive
80,000 Vietcong troops attacked major metropolises in South Vietnam, as well as capturing Saigon. This was a surprise to the people of the US and South Vietnam alike. In the attacks the Vietcong also captured the US embassy. -
My Lai Massacre
In 1968 American soldiers open-fired on the town of My Lai, killing women and children. Cauing the deaths of 300-500 people, and showing the American people the bad things occuring in the war. -
Kent State Massacre
In 1970, College students at Kent State University began protesting the US invasion of Cambodia in the Vietnam War. The Governor of Ohio sent in the national guard to break up the protests, and they fired at and killed four students, two protestors and two bystanders. -
Release of the Pentagon Papers
In 1971, America had mostly positive views on the progress of the Vietnam War and the American People felt the US was winning both the war and the hearts of the South Vietnamese. That was until the release of the "Pentagon Papers" which exposed US actions in Vietnam, including evidence Gulf of Tonkin might've been a lie, it led to outrage among the American people.
