LBJ Foreign Policy

Question 1

How did Johnson escalate the Vietnam War?

Answer 1

• Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 1964): Led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, granting Johnson broad war powers
• Operation Rolling Thunder (1965): Massive bombing campaign against North Vietnam
• Troop Escalation: 16,000 troops in 1963 → 500,000 troops by 1968
• Tet Offensive (1968): Viet Cong and North Vietnamese launched a major offensive, shocking US public opinion

Question 2

How many bombs were dropped under Operation Rolling Thunder?

Answer 2

864,000 tons of American bombs had been dropped on North Vietnam during Rolling Thunder, compared with 653,000 tons dropped during the entire Korean War and 503,000 tons in the Pacific theatre during the Second World War.

Question 3

How did Vietnam impact Johnson’s presidency?

Answer 3

• Mass protests at home (e.g., 1967 March on the Pentagon, student movements)
• Credibility gap: Public distrust due to misleading government statements
• March 31, 1968: Johnson announced he would not seek re-election