#35

Mackenzie Shivers
December 6th, 2017
Gulf of Tonkin Essay

On August 2nd and 4th of 1964, North Vietnam was claimed to have attacked two U.S.
Destroyers called the Maddox and the Turner Joy, in the Gulf of Tonkin. This attack brought
forth a bombing campaign called Operation Rolling Thunder. This operation was to influence
North Vietnam to stop supporting Communism. Their plan was to stop any way of transportation
or communication from South Vietnam. America supported this operation they were now
officially involved in the Vietnam War. It may have seemed like America never wanted to be
involved in the war, but from their need of power and their worry over Communism, it seems
evident that they were planning to go to war. The Gulf of Tonkin was a perfect way to get
involved.

The influence of Communism was of great importance to the United States, due to the
fear of the domino effect; if one country were to fall, others would too. This worry then prepared
the United States to do anything in their power to ensure that domination of Communism didnt
happen. Three months before the Gulf of Tonkin, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Assistant of
National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy had a telephone conversation about their plans for
war. In their conversation, President Johnson was not understanding why they were getting
involved in this war and was worried about a draft. At the very end of their conversation,
McGeorge Bundy says, Mr. President, [...] make the threat without having made your own
internal decision that you would actually carry it through. Their idea was only to threaten war.
The threat would put America into a great position to stop Communism. What McGeorge Bundy
was saying though, is that the President should still follow through with this idea even if he
disagrees. They could not handle the idea of losing to Communism, so they were planning on
attacking before the incident at the Gulf of Tonkin.

The government was worried about Americas superpower status being threatened by
Communism and didnt want to be seen as weak. Three months before the Gulf of Tonkin
Incident, a letter to President Johnson from McGeorge Bundy talks about a need for a draft:
...the U.S. will use selected and carefully graduated military force against North Vietnam. This
basic Presidential decision is recommended on these premises: The U.S. cannot tolerate the loss
of Southeast Asia to Communism. [...] if we use all our influence to bring about a major
reduction or elimination of North Vietnamese interference in Laos and in South Vietnam...
Bundy was very persuasive in this letter wanting President Johnson to understand that war was
coming. America could start it or Vietnam could start it. Since the United States had a bigger
army, stronger weapons, and better tactics, they could start a draft and be well on their way in
starting a war.
 It was evident that America was thinking through war before the Gulf of Tonkin Incident.
When they were attacked, they now had a reason to fight in war, and began following through
with Operation Rolling Thunder. Three days after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, a resolution
called The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed by the 88th Congress. The resolution claimed
that North Vietnam was deliberately and repeatedly attacking the United States naval vessels
lawfully present in international waters, and have thereby created a serious threat to international
peace. The resolution continues to say that by being threatened they have the right to fight back.
America was now in agreement that they must do something about this attack and decided to go
into the Vietnam war.

Weather America was waiting for the right moment to attack Vietnam, it was very
evident that the United States was planning to go to war before the Gulf of Tonkin Incident.
Through the need of power and destruction of Communism, America was ready to attack
Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin, by constructing drafts, and discussing why war should be
done.