Vietnam Essay Research Paper The United States — страница 3

however, Diem was found dead in a local catholic church in th Chinese section of Siagon. McNamara and Kennedy both felt that althougth the South Vietnamese claim that Diem death was a suicide they feel that it was an assanation. This left Vietnam with out any strong political leader and elections in South Vietnam would be held to find a new and hopefully stronger leader. With President Kennedy?s order to beging the withdrawl of U.S. forces it looked as if the end of immediate U.S. invovelment in Vietnam. On November 22, 1963 Kennedy was assinated and marked the time for new a leadership, a President which had not yet been elected by the American people. Lydon B. Johnson was a politican whose immediate goal was to be elected in the 64 election. Therefore the country and the

adminstrations had to live through a new and timid President until the elecition. McNamara notes that because the issue of Vietnam was a primary issue of the campain. Complemented with Johnson?s oppent, Goldwater, who was pushing for the use of limited tactial nuclear assult on North Vietnam. Forced the Johnson adminstration to play neutral, or not take any definte side whether peaceful or aggressive. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution occured in August of 64 and even McNamara tries his best to discredit any wrongdoing or forgeries that may have occurred. The Gulf of Tonkin is the closest the U.S. came to declaring war against North Vietnam durning the entire conflict. The two patrol boats which supposelly attacked U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin on Agust 2nd and 4th gave

President Johnson all the power he needed to stage an all out war against Vietnam without the use of Congress right to declare war. The President now had the power to engage in a full out conflict without congressional approval. McNamara notes that althought this was one of the biggest mistakes of the war he fells if it had been put to a vote a delcleration of war would have been issued anyway. The Gulf of Tonkin swayed many American politicians in favor of the war in the early years, and because of this presidential canidate Goldwater used this to and sway the American people to use tactical nuclear weapons. Congress to quickly and overwhelminly passed the resoloution