1964–1965Primary sourceWell documented
America Escalates the Vietnam War
On the timeline · around 1964–1965 ·
What happened
After a reported clash in the Gulf of Tonkin, Congress in 1964 passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, giving President Johnson broad authority to wage war in Vietnam. In 1965 he ordered sustained bombing of the North and sent the first large U.S. ground forces, deepening America's involvement in a war that would eventually involve over half a million troops.
Why it matters
Vietnam became the longest and most divisive war of the era, killing more than 58,000 Americans and millions of Vietnamese, fueling a massive antiwar movement, and shattering public trust in government.
Sources
Related timelines
- The Vietnam War → — America's longest war