The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution granted LBJ the power to order aggressive military action against any South East Asian country in order to stop “communist aggression.” It came about as a reaction to an incident where three North Vietnameese torpedo boats allegedly fired on two American destroyers. It was seen as an aggressive act and gave the politicians the support of the American populace to get really, really involved in Vietnam.
Other accounts say the US destroyers fired first, unprovoked, while others say they fired warning shots.
LBJ was later quoted as saying “For all I know, our navy was shooting at whales out there.”
Nice.
Apparently, a radar operator read his gauges wrong and determined that a torpedo had been fired at US ships. Ok, fine, human error, it can happen, right?
Yeah, well, error is probably forgivable. Taking that error and deliberately acting like it actually happened isn’t. That’s what occurred. It’s disputed whether the National Security Agency lied to cover up their goofiness or to get the war they wanted.
Regardless, it was after the resolution that we started pouring soldiers into the war.
Declassified NSA and CIA documentation clearly shows that our military knew nothing had happened.
Yet, LBJ went on TV and said these suckers had to be stopped.
58,260 US soldiers were killed in action in Vietnam
According to the Vietnamese government, 1,100,000 Vietnamese were killed.
Thanks, Tom. It’s good to see that someone who is too young to have lived through it is aware enough to give a shit. I still wake up in the middle of the night angry. I don’t want to get over it. It would dishonor the memory of Ken Fetter, Jim McNally, Mike Petrashune, I could go on and on for an hour, of course – but not like the family members of the 1,156,260 who fell so America could sacrifice its honor for the sake of its splendor. I left my lieutenant’s bars at The Wall, along with so much else.
I had no idea…
my father still has nightmares. He cant watch movies like saving private ryan etc…without having the dreams start again.
He once told me that he had to land his helicopter on dead american soldiers in a POW camp – while his gunner laid down fire – to pull live american soldiers out – in cambodia all though they were never IN cambodia (i think he said he was doing it the same day that LBJ actually SAID “we are NOT in cambodia”)… He talks about how he was scared (he was MAYBE 21) flying a gun ship into battle and even today feels as if he was a coward for being scared. He was awarded 50+ air medals, the silver star and the distiguished flying cross…but still cant get the image of landing on fellow soldiers out of his mind. He feels as if he left comrades behind…I have heard him tell my sons to “never leave a fellow soldier behind” if they leave their little brother behind on a walk or something…he gets very emotional about it.
He returned home and as he left the airport in his uniform had protestors attack him and call him a baby killer. He is one of those guys who wouldnt slow down if they were driving and jane fonda was crossing the street. HE then became a police officer. He is a pastor now – he says he is treating the cause rather than the symptom (sin instead of the symptoms of sin).
I was going to write a witty response about how shocked I was that our government would lie to us to justify what they are doing but after reading the whole post and then michaels response – i lost my wit and can only see the haunted look in my fathers eyes when he talks about vietnam.
JAG,
Thanks. That was an amazing post.
My dad was a WWII vet and war makes me mad.
It’s not about liberal crap, it’s not about politics, it’s about my dad.
That’s what war comes down to. It is really bad for people you love.
I asked my dad last night about this topic – he said – yes that was a minor issue that really occured but that wasnt really what the war there was about.
What made him mad was LBJ sitting there looking at a map with a magnifying glass – looking at missles on a train from russia through china to vietnam…and saying us KNOWING they were there was enough. That they wouldnt use them because we knew they had them…We should have stopped those trains.
He said friends died because LBJ didnt stop those trains… He said war sucks, its dirty and rotten. Its never a nice thing but sometimes its a necessary thing. That if you MUST go to war – you should DO IT. As quickly and efficently as possible…stop the threat or evil…not play the games LBJ and Bush and OBama play today. Political manuvering, public oppinion, etc….get in…get it done and get out. Politicians kill more soldiers with their games (regardless of which side of the spectrum you are on) then the enemy. Hee then (being a minister) made mention of LBJs extra curricular activities with his secretary and how he wasnt a very good man in general…
Someone from my family has served in every american conflict since the revelutionary war…my family is dedicated to america…but politicans…shakesphere said first kill all the lawyers (i think)…i think he missed one important group! (someday we can discuss my idea for how to get a government together – not based on politicians ability to lie…cue the music from Side step – the song the governer of texas sings in the best little whore house in texas)
Fellow Texans, I am proudly standing here to humbly see.
I assure you, and I mean it- Now, who says I don’t speak out as plain as day?
And, fellow Texans, I’m for progress and the flag- long may it fly.
I’m a poor boy, come to greatness. So, it follows that I cannot tell a lie.
Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep, now they see me now they don’t-
I’ve come and gone and, ooh I love to sweep around the wide step,
cut a little swathe and lead the people on.
Now my good friends, it behooves me to be solemn and declare,
I’m for goodness and for profit and for living clean and saying daily prayer.
And now, my good friends, you can sleep nights, I’ll continue to stand tall.
You can trust me, for I promise, I shall keep a watchful eye upon ya’ll…
Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep, now they see me now they don’t-
I’ve come and gone and, ooh I love to sweep around the wide step,
cut a little swathe and lead the people on.
Now, Miss Mona, I don’t know her, though I’ve heard the name, oh yes.
But, of course I’ve no close contact, so what she is doing I can only guess.
And now, Miss Mona, she’s a blemish on the face of that good town.
I am taking certain steps here, someone somewhere’s gonna have to close her down.
Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep, now they see me now they don’t-
I’ve come and gone and, ooh I love to sweep around the wide step,
cut a little swathe and lead the people on.
Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep…
And, ooh I love to sweep around the wide step…
Cut a little swathe and lead the people on
I like your dad without even knowing him…