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And why were highly skilled seamen and technicians from the Norwegian Navy involved? It was passed on August 7, 1964, by the U.S. Congress after an alleged attack on two U.S. naval destroyers stationed off the coast of Vietnam. D. food and medical care Was the Gulf of Tonkin incident staged USS Maddox On November 22, 1963, John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Maddox. The Gulf of Tonkin incident (Vietnamese: S kin Vnh Bc B) was an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War.It involved both a proven confrontation on August 2, 1964, carried out by North Vietnamese forces in response to covert operations in the coastal region of the gulf, and a second, claimed confrontation on August 4 . Moreover, some intercepts were altered to show different receipt times, and other evidence was cherry picked to deliberately distort the truth. By 1 August, the destroyer had returned to the area and was back on patrol. The United States denied involvement. Three patrol craft attacked a security garrison at Cua Ron (the mouth of the Ron River) and a radar site at Vinh Son, firing 770 rounds of high-explosive munitions at the targets.8 North Vietnamese installations had been attacked four separate times in five days. The Gulf of Tonkin incident is considered a false flag ope. Fifty years ago, in what came to be known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, North Vietnamese patrol boats attacked the U.S.S. Libby Prison. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. 25. "29, During comments to reporters on 6 August, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara lied when he denied knowledge of the nature of the provocative OPLAN 34A raids, which were organized and overseen by his department. On 2 August 1964, North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox (DD-731) while the destroyer was in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. 4 What is the Gulf of Tonkin incident and why is it controversial? A plane piloted by Commander James Stockdale joined the action, flying at low altitude to see the enemy ships. Inlet of Tonkin episode, complex maritime occasion in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the shore of Vietnam, that was introduced to the U.S. Congress on August 5, 1964, as two unmerited assaults by North Vietnamese torpedo water crafts on the destroyers. Reduce the president's ability to wage war without congressional consen, Which of the following is true about President Johnson and the Vietnam War?. Financial and material aid was increased. However, the retaliatory attack of 5 August marked the United States' first overt military action against the North Vietnamese and the most serious escalation up to that date. The opinions expressed within the documents in both releases are those of the authors and individuals interviewed. The Maddox and Turner Joy moved out to sea, but both reported that they were tracking multiple unidentified vessels approaching their positions. Was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident true? Explanation: President Lyndon Johnson utilized the Gulf of Tonkin occurrence to enlarge the war. That night proved to be a stormy one. 20. The Gulf of Tonkin theory. In contrast, during the 2 August attack NSA listening posts monitored VHF communications between North Vietnamese vessels, HF communications between higher headquarters in Hanoi and the boats, and communication relays to the regional naval station. Foreign Relations of the United States, 19641968, vol. Ill give more brainly points, Which statement best illustrates how Elizabeth Van Lew was able to organize The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a joint resolution passed by the United States Congress in 1964 that gave 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B Johnson, the authority to deploy military forces in Southeast Asia without formally declaring war. Did the North Vietnamese actually attack US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin? You must include thesis statement, 4 body paragraphs and other reading and a conclusion to wrap up your debate 1 What was true about the Gulf of Tonkin incident? On August 2, 1964, the U.S. destroyer USS Maddox was performing its intelligence-gathering mission in the Gulf of Tonkin. by John Prados. "18, Back on board the Ticonderoga, Commander Stockdale had been ordered to prepare to launch an air strike against the North Vietnamese targets for their "attacks" of the previous evening. O A. land and freedom It showed the willingness of North Vietnam to make peace. Historians have long suspected that the second attack in the Gulf of Tonkin never occurred and that the resolution was based on faulty evidence. Own ship screw noises on rudders may have accounted for some. "15, Other intelligence supported the belief that an attack had occurred. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. No, that's not true. Reduce the president's ability to wage war without congressional consen Forty-eight hours earlier, on Aug. 2, two US destroyers on patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin the Maddox and the Turner Joy were attacked by North Vietnamese boats. The Turner Joy had not detected any torpedoes during the entire encounter, and Herrick determined that the Maddox's operators were probably hearing the ship's propellers reflecting off her rudder during sharp turns.12 The destroyer's main gun director was never able to lock onto any targets because, as the operator surmised, the radar was detecting the stormy sea's wave tops. All of his policy decisions, foreign and domestic, were considered through the prism of the November vote. By Lieutenant Commander Pat Paterson, U.S. Navy, Lieutenant Commander Pat Paterson, U.S. Navy. The fictitious Gulf of Tonkin incident helped draw the United States deeper into the Vietnam War. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, in 1964, was a major turning point in United States military involvement in Vietnam. A. He reported later, "I had the best seat in the house to watch that event and our destroyers were just shooting at phantom targetsthere were no PT boats there . Naval Forces Southern Command in Mayport Florida. What is the importance of the Gulf on Tonkin? What is the Gulf of Tonkin incident and why is it controversial? Messages declassified in 2005 and recently released tapes from the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library reveal confusion among the leadership in Washington. He arrived overhead at 2135. This assignment requires you to use themes from the readings and debate critically the meaning, scope, and/or practices. ), pp. The events between July 30 and August 10, 1964, are viewed as the tipping point of American involvement in Vietnam. Early in the morning, during the Desoto patrols, the USS Maddox received. Omissions? How to Market Your Business with Webinars. In his award-winning 2003 video memoirs Fog of War, he remained unapologetic and even bragged of his ability to deceive: "I learned early on never answer the question that is asked of you. 27. Interpreting this as an act of North Vietnamese aggression, the US government responded by ordering greater military involvement in Vietnam. McNamara again eluded the question, "They have advanced closer and closer to the 17th parallel, and in some cases, I think they have moved beyond that in an effort to stop the infiltration closer to the point of origin."26. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). What should have stood out to the U.S. leadership collecting all the data of these attacks was that, with the exception of the battle report, no other SIGINT "chatter" was detected during the attacks on 4 August. McNamara's intentional distortion of events prevented Congress from providing the civilian oversight of military matters so fundamental to the congressional charter. Answer (1 of 8): Yes. Episode 2450 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story more about how the Norwegian Navy participated in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. (20) The more astute cardboard-roll hangers wait until they have been placed in the closet, out of view, before they collapse. A. The August 4 incident never took place. (Wikimedia Commons) F ifty-one years ago today, the United States . Robert McNamara, In Retrospect (New York: Vintage, 1996) p. 133. On 3 August, the CIA confirmed that "Hanoi's naval units have displayed increasing sensitivity to U.S. and South Vietnamese naval activity in the Gulf of Tonkin during the past several months." 4 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Facts - 14: Captain John J. Herrick sent a message that raised doubts about the August 4 incident which said, "Review of action makes reported contacts and torpedoes fired appear doubtful.Freak weather reports and over-eager sonar men may have accounted for many reports. The Vietnam War: A Concise History. On 2nd August, 1964, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats travelled towards the Maddox. Quoted in Dale Andrade and Kenneth Conboy, "The Secret Side of the Tonkin Gulf Incident," Naval History, 13:4, July/August 1999, pp. McNamara was informed of this doubt but decided to remain quiet because Pierce-Arrow was already in motion. The US has form for this kind of "fabricated" naval incident (see 2 and 3 above) say theorists, referring back to the second Tonkin Gulf incident in which the US is alleged to have faked a naval clash with the North Vietnamese navy. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, also called Tonkin Gulf Resolution, resolution put before the U.S. Congress by Pres. 17. No actual visual sightings by MADDOX. What power did the Gulf of Tonkin give the President? L. 88-408, 78 Stat. The destroyers were sent to the area in 1964 in order to conduct reconnaissance and to intercept North Vietnamese communications in support of South Vietnamese war efforts. In fact, one of the patrols' main missions was to gather information that would be useful to the raiders.2 A top-secret document declassified in 2005 revealed the standing orders to the Desoto patrols: "[L]ocate and identify all coastal radar transmitters, note all navigation aids along the DVR's [Democratic Republic of Vietnam's] coastline, and monitor the Vietnamese junk fleet for a possible connection to DRV/Viet Cong maritime supply and infiltration routes."3. More and more saw poverty from the failure of individuals to take full advantage of the American system. OD. She hired former Confederate soldiers to gather information from 132 (01 Dec 2005). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. According to John Prados of the independent National Security Archive, Hanyok asserted that faulty signals intelligence became "vital evidence of a second attack and [Johnson and McNamara] used this claim to support retaliatory air strikes and to buttress the administration's request for a Congressional resolution that would give the White House freedom of action in Vietnam. adhereaffinityalliterationamateuramicableamorousanimositycohereconfinecongregationdefinitivedegenerateelucidateengenderfinalefluentgregariousinherentliteraryluminary\begin{array}{lllll}\text { adhere } & \text { affinity } & \text { alliteration } & \text { amateur } & \text { amicable } \\ \text { amorous } & \text { animosity } & \text { cohere } & \text { confine } & \text { congregation } \\ \text { definitive } & \text { degenerate } & \text { elucidate } & \text { engender } & \text { finale } \\ \text { fluent } & \text { gregarious } & \text { inherent } & \text { literary } & \text { luminary }\end{array} One of the pilots, Navy Commander James Stockdale, commanding officer of VF-51, recalled that they passed over the unscathed Maddox at 1530, minutes after the 22-minute surface engagement had ended. And following 24 hours after that with this destroyer in the same area undoubtedly led them to connect the two events. North Vietnamese warships purportedly attacked United States warships, the U.S.S. Opposed Vietnamese independence and supported French attempts to retain its colonial control The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allowed for the president to send combat troops to Vietnam. operating in the coastal waters, inspecting suspicious incoming junks, seeking to deter and prevent the infiltration of both men and material." Cover-Up Worse Than Crime: Silence Around Hersh's Bombshell & Ominous Gulf of Tonkin Parallels. Funny how no one mentions the fact the Gulf Of Tonkin incident, the false flag event that 'justified' the Vietnam war. On 6 August, when called before a joint session of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees to testify about the incident, McNamara eluded the questioning of Senator Wayne Morse (D-OR) when he asked specifically whether the 34A operations may have provoked the North Vietnamese response. Naval Academy. Fill each blank with the word from the list below that best fits the context. 2. The police used tear gas and billy clubs against anti-war protesters, and members of the New Left and the black power movement who were demonstrating outside the convention. Targets would disappear, and then new targets would appear from the opposite compass direction. . Another reporter pressed the issue, "Do these [patrol boats] go north, into North Vietnamese waters?" The Tonkin Gulf Resolution portrayed U.S. motives as maintaining peace and security in Asia, . Aware of North Vietnamese intent from the earlier SIGINT message, Captain Herrick ordered gun crews to open fire if the fast-approaching trio closed to within 10,000 yards of the destroyer, and at about 1505 three 5-inch shots were fired across the bow of the closest boat. Subscribe now and never hit a limit. Late that night, radar images on the C. Turner Joy indicated that they were being approached by speeding vessels. Jim and Sybil Stockdale, In Love and War (New York: Harper and Row, 1984), p. 23. D. President Johnson acted before all the facts became known. Analyze the effects of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed under the Lyndon Johnson administration during the Vietnam War, Learn about some key points on the Gulf of Tonkin incident leading to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, 1964, https://www.britannica.com/event/Gulf-of-Tonkin-incident, HistoryNet - Gulf of Tonkin Incident: Reappraisal 40 Years Later, U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian - U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War: The Gulf of Tonkin and Escalation, 1964. This final release includes additional articles, chronologies of events, oral history interviews, and other related memoranda. McMasters, Dereliction of Duty, p. 134. Unbelievable, but true. In 1964, the American government claimed that American naval ships had been attacked in territorial waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. By the time the destroyers broke off their "counterattack," they had fired 249 5-inch shells, 123 3-inch shells, and four or five depth charges.10, Commander Stockdale was again in the action, this time alone. Weather conditions were clear, and seas were calm. But once-classified documents and tapes released in the past several years, combined with previously uncovered facts, make clear that high government officials distorted facts and deceived the American public about events that led to full . Reports Cast Doubt on Alleged Second Attack Another problem: the second attack almost certainly never occurred. President Johnson acted before all the facts became known, and caused the US to be more involved with Vietnam. The attacks were unprovoked. The Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964 proved to be America's key entry point to war in Vietnam. the attack is a signal to us that the North Vietnamese have the will and determination to continue the war. 11. naval event, Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam [1964]. B. . 28. Several reported torpedoes were probably boats themselves which were observed to make several close passes on MADDOX. 7. McMasters, Dereliction of Duty, p. 119; Stockdale, In Love and War, p. 19. le "tourisme plage" est une ide dpasse (. But at 1045, he reversed orders, turning the Maddox back toward the coast, this time to the north of Hon Me Island. What were the key events in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident? What was true about the gulf of Tonkin incident? H. R. McMaster, Dereliction of Duty (New York: Harper Collins, 1997), p. 129. The featured story comes from the Counter Currents website and was titled: Covert Operations In Continue reading A joint resolution of Congress dated August 7, 1964, gave the president authority to increase U.S. involvement in the war between North and South Vietnam and served as the legal basis for escalations in the Johnson and Nixon administrations that likely dwarfed what most Americans could have imagined in August 1964. 26. But what happened in the Gulf during the late hours of 4 Augustand the consequential actions taken by U.S. officials in Washingtonhas been seemingly cloaked in confusion and mystery ever since that night. Subscribe to Seymour Hersh to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. The North Vietnamese boats attacked with torpedoes and machine gun fire. And what about the North Vietnamese battle report that seemed to provide irrefutable confirmation of the attack? Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh has shed more light on US-Norwegian military cooperation which started after the end of the Second World War, and evoked memories of the controversial Gulf of Tonkin incident that opened the door to the . On 4 August 1964 two U.S. destroyers were again in the middle of the Gulf of Tonkin. The admiral added that he was trying to get information and recommended holding any order for a retaliatory strike against North Vietnam until "we have a definite indication of what happened. . In these shorter essays, you are expected to make a strong argument about a specific week's readings, and to support this argument with theoretical and empirical evidence. Pierce-Arrow was a limited airstrike on North Vietnamese targets on August 5, 1964. 4. A few days after the Tonkin Gulf Resolution was passed, he commented, "Hell, those damn, stupid sailors were just shooting at flying fish. Seventh Fleet and that led to the Gulf of . Specially equipped with a communications intercept van and 17 SIGINT specialists, she was to patrol in international waters off the North Vietnamese coast, from the demilitarized zone (DMZ) north to the Chinese border. Quoted in Robert McNamara's In Retrospect, (New York: Vintage, 1996) p. 133. Codenamed Operations Plan (OPLAN) 34A, the activities were conceived and overseen by the Department of Defense, with the support of the Central Intelligence Agency, and carried out by the South Vietnamese Navy. Corrections? The Gulf of Tonkin incident (Vietnamese: S kin Vnh Bc B), also known as the USS Maddox incident, was an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War. The enemy ship could also have been damaged. See all videos for this article Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, also called Tonkin Gulf Resolution, resolution put before the U.S. Congress by Pres. President Jonson took these claims to Congress which subsequently passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. "23, Relying on faulty and misinterpreted intelligence about the 4 August incident, an overanxious President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered retaliatory U.S. air strikes, which he announced to the American public at 2336 Washington time that night.Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, The historian also concluded that some of the signals intercepted during the nights of 2 and 4 August were falsified to support the retaliatory attacks. She retired Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The Gulf of Tonkin incident was a complex naval event in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of Vietnam, that was presented to the U.S. Congress on August 5, 1964, as two unprovoked attacks. . The papers, more than 140 of them classified top secret, include phone transcripts, oral-history interviews, signals intelligence (SIGINT) messages, and chronologies of the Tonkin events developed by Department of Defense and NSA officials. Originally, it was claimed by the National Security Agency that the North Vietnamese Navy fired torpedo boats towards the USS Maddox on August 4, 1964. 6. That night, the South Vietnamese staged more OPLAN 34A raids. (18) These hangers, while not quite as cunning as plastic hangers, are perhaps the most treacherous because they don't even try to function as they are designed. Fog of War - Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Vietnam War - In the mid-1950s, the U.S. intervened militarily in Vietnam, beginning what has been called a "crisis in slow motion." Americans convinced that the fall of South Vietnam to Communism would eventually result in the "fall" of all of Southeast Asia, believed this war was an effort to prevent North Vietnam from unifying North and . money and clothing Maddox.The events led to Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which allowed the president to increase U.S. involvement in Vietnam without Congressional approval. . At roughly the same time, the USS Maddox engaged in electronic surveillance also in the Gulf. Overhead, meanwhile, four F8 Crusaders that the Maddox had called in earlier from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) were rapidly approaching. 15. Other vital intercepts mysteriously disappeared. The superiors and subordinates of fbl inc., a swedish . Gunfire and torpedoes were exchanged while F-8 fighters from USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) raced to the scene. not to seek his party's nomination as the presidential candidate. Almost immediately upon taking the helm in Vietnam, Westmoreland called for greater troop strength throughout South Vietnam. On the afternoon of August 2, 1964, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats clashed with the American destroyer Maddox (DD-731) patrolling the coast. History, 21.06.2019 19:50. With the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the United States committed its full strength to the conflict. The destroyers reported automatic-weapons fire; more than 20 torpedo attacks; sightings of torpedo wakes, enemy cockpit lights, and searchlight illumination; and numerous radar and surface contacts. In August 1964, the United States entered the Vietnam War after reports of an unprovoked attack in the Gulf of Tonkin. But, interestingly, on Sept. 18, a similar incident occurred in the Gulf of Tonkin. Si une phrase est fausse, corrigez-la. Torpedo boats and fuel storage facilities were destroyed. The truth was very different. "25, Later that day, Secretary McNamara lied when he denied knowledge of the provocative 34A patrols at a Pentagon news conference. In the Gulf of Tonkin incident, North Vietnamese torpedo boats supposedly attacked the USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin, off Vietnam, in a pair of assaults on August 2 and 4 of 1964. When President Johnson asked during a 4 August meeting of the National Security Council, "Do they want a war by attacking our ships in the middle of the Gulf of Tonkin?" At 0248 in the Gulf, Herrick sent another report in which he changed his previous story: Certain that original ambush was bonafide. Reply. OPEC's embargo of oil exports to the United States in retaliation for American intervention in the Middle East. The United States was playing a dangerous game. (APEX) Did the gulf of Tonkin incident happen? This time, however, President Johnson reacted much more skeptically and . A. Until then, the United States supported South Vietnam by every means at its disposal, short of fully engaging its military. The third was left dead in the water and burning.7. President Johnson signed it on August 10, giving the executive far greater power to conduct military operations, without a declaration of war, than had ever been granted before. CTG 72.1 041848ZAUG64. On 2 August 1964, North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox (DD-731) while the destroyer was in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. Congress concluded that it had been caused by China. But the reports were false and the president knew it. The following night, August 3 three more MACV-SOG vessels attacked targets on the mainland of North Vietnam. Yes it happened. A myriad of issues confronted the new president, not the least of which was the ongoing crisis in Vietnam. August 4, 2015. Seventh Fleet and that led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson to greatly escalate U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. Although the raid was successful (the oil depot was completely destroyed and 33 of 35 vessels were hit), two American aircraft were shot down; one pilot was killed and the second captured.20, On 7 August, Congress, with near unanimity, approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which President Johnson signed into law three days later. Hanyok, "Skunks, Bogies, Silent Hounds," p. 13. The relocation of American manufacturing overseas, The southern strategy involved attracting Democratic voters to the Republican Party.. McNamara instead declared that "our Navy played absolutely no part in, was not associated with, was not aware of, any South Vietnamese actions, if there were any. After this was reported to Washington, Robert McNamara urged President Johnson to retaliate. New York, Columbia University Press, 2011. On the morning of 4 August, U.S. intelligence intercepted a report indicating that the communists intended to conduct offensive maritime operations in the Gulf of Tonkin. Questions about the Gulf of Tonkin incidents have persisted for more than 40 years. (21) This ensures that they carry out that prime directive of all hangers-to render the clothing wrinkled and unfit for wearing in public. "19 Despite his reservations, Stockdale led a strike of 18 aircraft against an oil storage facility at Vinh, located just inland of where the alleged attacks on the Maddox and Turner Joy had occurred. In exchange for Lee's surrender, Grant offered Johnson and McNamara recording, 03 August 1964 at 10:30 a.m., recording provided by the, Presidential Recordings Program, Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Confederate leaders' households. . Finally, as part of his strategy to aid South Vietnam without sending in high numbers of troops, Johnson approved more covert operations against North Vietnam. Hanyok claimed that "The overwhelming body of reports, if used, would have told the story that no attack occurred. The process of Vietnamization involved shifting fighting in the Vietnam War from Americans to the Southern Vietnamese. Though not manned by American sailors, four ships under the command of MACV-SOG attacked two islands in the Gulf, Hon Me, and Hon Ngu. Operations carried during peace-time by civilian organisation, as well as covert government agencies, may by extension be called false flag operations if they seek to hide the real organisation behind an operation. , your opinion; it must be well-reasoned and backed up it has to be ( 3 to 4 pages long) by reconstructing the arguments and ideas from the readings. there was nothing there but black water and American firepower."11. After missions in December 1962 and April of the next year, patrols were scheduled for 1964 in the vicinity of OPLAN 34A raids. All of the following are true about the Gulf of Tonkin incident and the ensuing resolution EXCEPTa. A myriad of issues confronted the new president, not the least of which was the ongoing crisis in Vietnam. Moreover, another intercepted report seemed to confirm that the attack had in fact taken place, and thus Herricks caution was not taken seriously. Still other targets appeared from the east, mimicking attacking profiles of torpedo boats. 13. Nearly 200 documents the National Security Agency (NSA) declassified and released in 2005 and 2006, however, have helped shed light on what transpired in the Gulf of Tonkin on 4 August. Johnson was also about to go on national television to describe the attacks and request the authority to undertake a military response, even though the decision had already been made. In reality, McNamara knew full well that the 34A attacks had probably provoked the 2 August attacks on the Maddox. In early 1964, South Vietnam began conducting a covert series of U.S.-backed commando attacks and intelligence-gathering missions along the North Vietnamese coast. On 30 May 2006, NSA released the second and final installment of Gulf of Tonkin materials. What are the main structures of the systemic system? What Were The Truth'S About Tion About The Gulf Of Tonkin Incident? It showed the military superiority of the South Vietnamese. However, the initial incidents have stirred up great controversy given the varying accounts of the For more on this topic see the following: Grand Delusion: U.S. Strategy and the Tonkin Gulf Incident, The Secret Side of the Tonkin Gulf Incident. What initially sparked the 1973 energy crisis? Answer: Gulf of Tonkin incident, complex naval event in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of Vietnam, that was presented to the U.S. Congress on August 5, 1964, as two unprovoked attacks by North Vietnamese torpedo boats on the destroyers Maddox and Turner Joy of the U.S. Army Colonel H. R. McMaster, author of the highly acclaimed 1997 book Dereliction of Duty, accused Johnson and McNamara of outright deception: To enhance his chances for election, [Johnson] and McNamara deceived the American people and Congress about events and the nature of the American commitment in Vietnam.