1964–1973 (US escalation)Reputable sourceWell documented
The Vietnam War and the Gulf of Tonkin
On the timeline · around 1964–1973 (US escalation) ·
What happened
After reported North Vietnamese attacks on US destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in August 1964, giving President Johnson broad authority to wage war. The United States escalated massively, eventually deploying over half a million troops before withdrawing in 1973.
Why it matters
The Vietnam War was the largest and most divisive Cold War proxy conflict, costing millions of lives and deeply fracturing American society.