The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a 1964 congressional measure that granted President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authority to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam. It was passed after alleged attacks on U.S. ships by North Vietnamese forces in the Gulf of Tonkin. Although initially seen as a blank check for war, later information revealed the incidents may have been exaggerated or misinterpreted. The resolution effectively allowed the President to conduct military operations without a formal declaration of war, leading to a significant escalation of U.S. combat troops in Vietnam.