The Alleged Attack on U.S.

Maddox in 1964

A. Johnson Reyte on Publishing 2012

Why is your chosen turning point actually a turning point and not just another event? The incident leading up to the claim of an attack against the U.S. Maddox, a Destroyer naval vessel is a turning point in history. This is because it sparked the beginning of a war with Vietnam that would last nearly ten years and divide and change U.S. citizens feelings about government authority forever. Up until this time Americans were unified in support of the President and Congress for the most part and willing to send their young men into war. Fathers and Mothers felt it was their patriotic duty to support the U.S. Military and citizens admired and respected those that served in the Armed Forces. This would change dramatically over the course of this war with Vietnam which in reality was not between the U.S. and Vietnam but a conflict of the ally of the U.S. South Vietnam with North Vietnam. The decision to engage in the war in support of South Vietnam came after an attack on U.S. Maddox was reported to President Johnson. President Johnson felt that since his naval forces were under attack, he had no choice but to seek Congress for authorization to go to war. It was later proven that the attack was not genuine which prompted a backlash across America of distrust and outrage against the American

government for sending our young soldiers to die based on a lie. Why were the events immediately preceding the turning point necessary and essential in preparing for the turning point? The events before this turning of the American support of military actions significantly affect the cold war standoff between North and South Vietnam. President Johnson believed that South Vietnam was losing a battle against Communism brought on by the Viet Cong. The President then lended support to the South Vietnamese struggle by sending naval patrol boats and providing military training. American naval forces were also dispatched to support Southern Vietnamese military by participating in covert operations and intelligence gathering efforts. One of these covert actions sparked the decisions that led to the preparing of the turning point. Operation 34A directed the American trained Vietnamese manned patrol boats to attack radar stations in North Vietnam (Moss, 2010). Operation 34A also led Vietnam commandoes in damaging bridges and other structures in the area. The constant buildup of American naval personnel in Vietnam led Northern Vietnam to decide to send more forces into the area. The knowledge of Operation 34A led to a decision by North Vietnam to go after the destroyer (Allen, 2001). On August 2, 1964 three Vietnamese manned Soviet vessels launched torpedoes against the Maddox. They failed to connect however, the Maddox retaliation did not miss their target. The return fire included U.S. F8 Crusader jets off an aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga which went after the three Soviet torpedo boats destroying one of them (Duiker, 1994). On August 4, 1964 the Destroyers (Maddox and Turner Joy) sent reports back to the U.S. that they were attacked by the Northern Vietnamese patrol boats. Naval leadership in Washington felt

that this was an act of war and moved swiftly to inform President Johnson (Duiker, 1994). What subsequent event or events were dependent on the action of the turning point; also, what possible event or events became impossible because the turning point occurred? All of this buildup of conflict led the President to request Congress give him authority to start a war with North Vietnam. On August 5, 1964 the U.S. retaliated attacking North Vietnam by destroying over 30 naval vessels and an oil refinery (Allen, 2001). The Tonkin Gulf Resolution was signed that allowed President Johnson to use whatever military means he deemed necessary in the war against Communist North Vietnam. After that Resolution the U.S. became a part of a very long bitter battle that changed forever the lives of Veterans in the U.S. and forever created the divide of American Citizens about the use of the military and sending our men to war.

References Moss, D. G. (2010). Vietnam: An American Ordeal. Pearson Education Inc. 6 Ed. Allen, G. W. (2001) None so Blind A Personal Account of Intelligence Failure Vietnam. Chicago: Ivan R. Publishing. pp. 182. Duiker, W.J. (1994) U.S. Containment Policy and Conflict in Indochina. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. pp.320.