Question

Which statement about the Gulf of Tonkin incident is true?

A. It was an attempt by North Vietnam to draw the United States further into conflict.
B. It was an effort by South Vietnam to draw the United States further into conflict.
C. It was used by Johnson to remove U.S. soldiers and end the war in Vietnam.
D. It was misunderstood by Johnson and caused the United States to become more involved in Vietnam.​

Answer 1

The correct statement is that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was misunderstood by President Johnson, which caused the United States to become more involved in Vietnam. This led to Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, granting President Johnson broad military powers and marking a significant escalation of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement about the Gulf of Tonkin incident is that it was misunderstood by President Lyndon Johnson and led to the United States becoming more involved in Vietnam. On August 2, 1964, the USS Maddox reported being attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats during a reconnaissance mission in the Gulf of Tonkin. A second reported attack occurred on August 4, although later evidence suggests this second attack did not actually take place.

Despite the uncertainties around these events, President Johnson presented the incidents to Congress as unprovoked attacks in international waters and used them to secure the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on August 7, 1964. This resolution granted the President expansive war powers without a formal declaration of war, significantly escalating U.S. military involvement in Vietnam as a result.

The incident, and the subsequent resolution, are often viewed as pivotal moments that led to the escalation of the Vietnam War, which involved a substantial increase in U.S. troops and military operations in the region.