Tonkin Gulf and the Escalation of the Vietnam War: Perspectives in Military History Lecture Series

August 21, 2019 - Dr. Edwin E. Moïse On the night of August 4, 1964, two American warships clashed with torpedo boats in the dark waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. The “attack” rapidly pushed President Lyndon Johnson to escalate the tensions between the United States and the communist government of North Vietnam. On Wednesday, August 21, 2019, at 7:15 PM, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, hosted Dr. Edwin Moïse of Clemson University to present a talk based on the new edition of his book, Tonkin Gulf and the Escalation of the Vietnam War. Looking at the most current evidence and personal interviews, Dr. Edwin Moïse asks, was there really an attack in the first place? Was the escalation based on mistaken intelligence, or was it an excuse for increased American participation in the war? For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.