Question

The speech used to answer these questions is President Johnson's report on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident that happened on August 4, 1964

1. What was the mood of the United States towards Communism in 1964?
2. How do you think American's opinions about war with Vietnam changed because of this speech?
3. What facts and evidence can you find to support or disprove specific claims made in President Johnson’s speech?

Answer 1

In 1964, the United States was strongly opposed to communism and viewed it as a great threat. President Johnson's speech was meant to rally support for a stronger stance against the spread of communism, and to demonstrate that the United States would protect its interests in the region.

President Johnson's speech made the case for military action in Vietnam, and many Americans began to support military action in the region as a result. The speech also highlighted the importance of the United States protecting its interests in the region, which led to a greater sense of patriotism and support for the war effort.

President Johnson's speech cited evidence of two attacks on the USS Maddox and the USS Turner Joy, which allegedly occurred on August 2 and August 4 [1], 1964, respectively. The speech also noted that the North Vietnamese government had publicly admitted to having attacked the American ships. Additionally, President Johnson's speech also cited information from the U.S. Intelligence community that the North Vietnamese had been planning further attacks against the United States.