Final answer:
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964 escalated military action in Vietnam, leading to a substantial increase in U.S. troops and deeper involvement in the conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964 had a significant impact on the Vietnam War by escalating military action. This resolution, passed by Congress with nearly unanimous approval, granted President Lyndon Johnson the authority to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
The reported attacks on U.S. warships in the Gulf of Tonkin, although now believed to be misrepresented, served as a pretext for the resolution. This led to a dramatic increase in U.S. military presence in Vietnam, with troop numbers surging from approximately 23,000 in 1964 to over 184,000 by the end of 1965.
During President Nixon’s term, public opinion turned against the war, leading to protests and calls to repeal the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Realizing this shift in mood, Nixon eventually supported repealing the resolution in 1971 as part of his strategy to extract the U.S. from the conflict. As a result, the answer to the original student’s question is: A) it escalated military action overseas.