Arthur Sylvester on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident - HISTORY

On August 4, 1964, Arthur Sylvester, assistant secretary of defense, makes a press statement about North Vietnam's attack on two U.S. destroyers that were on patrol in the Tonkin Gulf.

FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

RELATED CONTENT

Uncover the Bay of Tonkin Incident on the shores of North Vietnam. U.S. warships retaliated against attacks from the Vietnamese by sinking two of their ships.

Learn about the international incident that escalated American involvement in the Vietnam War.

On August 4, 1964, as events in the Tonkin Gulf unfold, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara apprised President Lyndon B. Johnson of the situation in a series of phone calls. In the third secretly recorded phone call of the day, McNamara reports that two U.S. destroyers deployed in the Gulf east of Vietnam are under attack. While McNamara did not know it at the time, the information he relayed was later determined to be false.

Watch this historical clip of President Ford as he makes a television statement announcing that the crew men of the SS Maya Guez have been rescued from Cambodian forces. Tom Brokaw reports that it was a very exciting and popular move for President Ford.

The Cold War is over, but what it left behind may surprise you.

The Saxons continue to capture lands of the British aristocracy. During this time a prince emerges from the British. His name is Arthur, and Camelot begins.