1. Gulf of Tonkin 2 August 1964

2. Place

3. Background Naval commando attacks Goal was to take Hanoi’s temperature Hoping insurrection would cease Hanoi committed to South Vietnamese Attack

4. Commando

5. The Incident U.S.S. Maddox present in the Gulf of Tonkin Engaged in “innocent passage” N. Vietnamese 34-A raids Maddox was to record radar output

6. Maddox

7. DeSoto Patrol 34-A raids and intelligence cruise Secy’ of Defense Robert McNamara President Lyndon Johnson Capitol Hill Briefing

8. President

9. McNamara Speaks Went to Capitol Hill Explained two islands, attack boats, ammunition expenditures, and other details Asserted that 34-A were S. Vietnamese missions

10. McNamara

11. 34-A Participants Used U.S. Navy Vessels Aimed at C.I.A. selected targets United States funded S. Vietnam recruited their own commandos. Led by Americans

12. Central Intelligence Agency

13. McNamara Continues 34-A purely South Vietnamese Stated in hearings on the Hill “Our Navy played absolutely no part in, was not associated with, was not aware of, any South Vietnamese actions, if any.”

14. Capitol Hill

15. Senate Hearing Foreign Relations Committee McNamara chief witness Provocation “fully explored” in 1964 hearings Culpability examined

16. Senate Committe

17. Senate 2 Investigated “in any way provoked by or related to certain South Vietnamese naval activity.” 34-A missions: “countermeasures being taken by the South Vietnamese”

18. Commando Action

19. U.S.S. C. Turner Joy Joined the Maddox on Aug. 4 Some reports of a second attack on both destroyers the night of the 4 th. LBJ ordered bombing of North Vietnam in retaliation

20. C. Turner Joy

21. Second Engagement? No evidence of wreckage No photographs Occurred at night Radar and sonar also confused Possible torpedo wakes

22. USS Ticonderoga

23. Eagle Eyes? Pilots of the U.S.S. Ticonderoga Cannot confirm story of second engagement Commander James Stockdale claims no gunfire except planes and no candle light or wakes

24. WooHOOO!!!!!!

25. Communications During Nixon administration Only communication from August 4 was a summary of the 2 nd No certainty of 2 nd attack as time could not have allowed it.