The Gulf of Tonkin Incident: A Very Brief History

Want to learn more about history, but don’t think you have the time? Think again.

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was actually two separate incidents that occurred in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964, in which the USS Maddox engaged North Vietnamese forces. There is no doubt that the first incident took place, and that the Maddox was targeted by torpedo boats, resulting in a brief confrontation at sea. However, it has now been confirmed that the second incident never took place. This is the cause of great controversy, as it was this second incident that led to the passage of the ‘Gulf of Tonkin Resolution’, which was used by President Lyndon B Johnson as justification to scale up US involvement in the Vietnam War. This fast-paced narrative is an account of the incident, and the aftermath in the US.

The Very Brief History series is intended to give the reader a short, concise account of the most important events in world history. Each book provides the reader with the essential facts concerning a particular event or person; no distractions, just the essential facts, allowing the reader to master the subject in the shortest time possible.

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