Question

How did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution lead to the escalation of US troop involvement in the Vietnam War?

a.It gave the president the ability to send troops without specific approval of Congress.
b.It declared war on North Vietnam, making commitment of US troops necessary.
c.It barred South Vietnamese troops from the conflict, making it necessary for US troops to fight.
d.
It specifically committed the first US troops to fight and serve in the Vietnam War.

Answer 1

The correct answer is A. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution lead to the escalation of US troop involvement in the Vietnam War as it gave the president the ability to send troops without specific approval of Congress.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a joint resolution of the Congress, adopted in 1964 and which became the legal basis for the escalation of US participation in the Vietnam War.

After two incidents in the Gulf of Tonkin, in which, according to the administration of President Johnson, American ships were attacked by North Vietnamese boats in international waters, the U.S. Congress on August 7, 1964 adopted a joint resolution that gave President Johnson the right to take all necessary measures, including the use of the armed forces, to preserve the freedom of all countries included in SEATO. This resolution became the legal basis for sending large American units to South Vietnam and launching bombing of North Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

Answer 2

Answer: A. It gave the President the ability to send troops without specific approval of Congress.

Context/detail:

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allowed the US President to make military actions, like increase troops, without formal declaration of war. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed by Congress in August, 1964, after alleged attacks on two US naval ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. The key wording in the resolution said:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.

That resolution served as a blank check for President Johnson to send troops to whatever extent he deemed necessary in pursuance of the war. Between 1964 and the end of Johnson's presidency in 1969, US troop levels in Vietnam increased from around 20,000 to over 500,000.