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The Tonkin Gulf Incident has massively contributed to the major escalation of the Vietnam War, most of which happened under the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. Many historians now consider the incident as the event responsible for Americas entry into the War. It is a reasonable suggestion, because until 1964 the US military presence in the region had been minimal (Moise 12). Johnsons decision to retaliate was made after the second attack, which happened on August, 4, 1964, and was later reported to be a mistake. The question of who is responsible for the Tonkin Gulf Incident is widely disputed, and the opinion that it is President Johnson seems to be the most valid one.
First, the final part of the second message sent by Captain Herrick clearly suggested evaluation before any further action taken , claiming that the judgement about the second attack was wrong ( Fog of War Tonkin incident ). Therefore, Johnson and his advisors realized there was no second attack, but continued on with the retaliation plan. Second, taking into consideration what was stated before, the public speeches that Johnson gave after the incident can be considered as dishonest and misleading. Stating that the initial attack was repeated on the 4h of August by a number of hostile vessels attacking two US destroyers , he misinformed American citizens, sending millions of them to the war ( Speeches by Lyndon B. Johnson: Gulf of Tonkin Incident , par. 2).
All things considered, the question of responsibility is complicated and might need further consideration. Nevertheless, the fact that hundreds of thousands of people died as a result of a misunderstanding and a hasty decision is undeniable. Moreover, the Tonkin Gulf Incident and the Governments dishonesty changed the relationship Americans had with their leaders, causing public trust in the government to fall significantly.
Works Cited
Fog of War Tonkin incident. YouTube, Jelmer Evers, Web.
Moise, Edwin E. Tonkin Gulf and the Escalation of the Vietnam War. Naval Institute P, 2019.
Speeches by Lyndon B. Johnson: Gulf of Tonkin Incident. About the USA, Web.
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