Gulf of Tonkin
Although the United States claims that the Vietnamese attack on the U.S.S. Maddox was “unprovoked,” there is evidence pointing to the conclusions that the United States was in fact taunting the Vietnamese people and that the attack was a justified strike against the provocation.
Shortly after the attack, the United States began to circulate the idea that they were completely innocent in the situation and that the Vietnamese were the ones who were breaking the statues of the United Nations. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution adopted by the United States Congress states that, “Whereas naval units of the Communist regime in Vietnam, in violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law, …Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as commander in chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression” (Document 1). When read closely, one can determine that the United States saw a Communist-controlled Vietnam as a substantial threat; one that could only be taken care of through war and fighting. Through the silences, it becomes clear that the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave the U.S. forces permission to carry out any form of attack or aggression on the Vietnamese people, no matter how destructive it was. Along with the silence of the permitted destruction brings the silence of what lead to the attack of the U.S.S. Maddox.
While the United States claimed that they were completely innocent in the event, they failed to acknowledge the Vietnamese perspective on what exactly occurred. Though many said that it was completely a one-sided attack, they refused to recognize that the North Vietnamese were being taunted and tormented. As stated by the spokesman of the Vietnam People’s Army, regarding the U.S. Warship’s provocation, “… [They] infringe upon the territorial waters of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, seize fishing boats and land spy-commandos for sabotage activities in the coastal areas” (Document 9). Background knowledge can in fact prove that the United States did provoke and sabotage the North Vietnamese people. Even if the events in the article did not happen, the United States was not just innocently sending their naval ships to the coast of Vietnam. Before the attack, the U.S. had over 16,000 troops stationed in Vietnam. Clearly, the United States had a strategic interest in the region surrounding the gulf of Tonkin.
Though the U.S. government made a case against it, evidence supports that The Maddox wasn’t attacked, or even damaged, during the conflict. A day long report given by the captain of the U.S.S. Maddox was recorded saying, “The first boat too close to the Maddox probably launched a torpedo at the Maddox which was heard but not seen… suspected that the sonarman was hearing the ship’s own propeller beat” (Document 7). This can be interpreted to say that the attack may have not even occurred. His report is proof that the U.S. had knowingly based its retaliation towards Vietnam on this inconclusive information and blatantly used the unsubstantiated attack as an excuse to wage war against Vietnam. Seeing as the report came from an American ship that in fact supported the Vietnamese perspective, it can be assumed that it is an accurate account of the event without an American bias.
Shortly after the attack, the United States began to circulate the idea that they were completely innocent in the situation and that the Vietnamese were the ones who were breaking the statues of the United Nations. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution adopted by the United States Congress states that, “Whereas naval units of the Communist regime in Vietnam, in violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law, …Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as commander in chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression” (Document 1). When read closely, one can determine that the United States saw a Communist-controlled Vietnam as a substantial threat; one that could only be taken care of through war and fighting. Through the silences, it becomes clear that the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave the U.S. forces permission to carry out any form of attack or aggression on the Vietnamese people, no matter how destructive it was. Along with the silence of the permitted destruction brings the silence of what lead to the attack of the U.S.S. Maddox.
While the United States claimed that they were completely innocent in the event, they failed to acknowledge the Vietnamese perspective on what exactly occurred. Though many said that it was completely a one-sided attack, they refused to recognize that the North Vietnamese were being taunted and tormented. As stated by the spokesman of the Vietnam People’s Army, regarding the U.S. Warship’s provocation, “… [They] infringe upon the territorial waters of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, seize fishing boats and land spy-commandos for sabotage activities in the coastal areas” (Document 9). Background knowledge can in fact prove that the United States did provoke and sabotage the North Vietnamese people. Even if the events in the article did not happen, the United States was not just innocently sending their naval ships to the coast of Vietnam. Before the attack, the U.S. had over 16,000 troops stationed in Vietnam. Clearly, the United States had a strategic interest in the region surrounding the gulf of Tonkin.
Though the U.S. government made a case against it, evidence supports that The Maddox wasn’t attacked, or even damaged, during the conflict. A day long report given by the captain of the U.S.S. Maddox was recorded saying, “The first boat too close to the Maddox probably launched a torpedo at the Maddox which was heard but not seen… suspected that the sonarman was hearing the ship’s own propeller beat” (Document 7). This can be interpreted to say that the attack may have not even occurred. His report is proof that the U.S. had knowingly based its retaliation towards Vietnam on this inconclusive information and blatantly used the unsubstantiated attack as an excuse to wage war against Vietnam. Seeing as the report came from an American ship that in fact supported the Vietnamese perspective, it can be assumed that it is an accurate account of the event without an American bias.