Diplomacy and the President
President and Advisors Packet
President Johnson:
Gulf of Tonkin
Official description of events
On July 31, 1964, the American destroyerUSS Maddox (DD-731) began a reconnaissance mission in the Gulf of Tonkin. The official purpose of the mission was to obtain information about North Vietnamese coastal defense forces. Other similar U.S. ships were involved in supporting South Vietnamese commando raids on the North Vietnamese coast during the same period.
On August 2, 3 North Vietnamese torpedo boats, mistaking the Maddox for a South Vietnamese vessel, launched a torpedo and machine gun attack on it. Responding immediately to the attack, the Maddox, with the help of air support from the nearby carrier Ticonderoga, destroyed one of the attacking boats and damaged the other two. The Maddox, suffering only superficial damage by a single machine gun bullet, retired to South Vietnamese waters where she was joined by the C. Turner Joy.
On August 4, a new DESOTO patrol to North Vietnam coast was launched by Maddox and the C. Turner Joy. The latter got radar signals that they believed to be another attack by the North Vietnamese. For some two hours the ships fired on radar targets and maneuvered vigorously amid electronic and visual reports of torpedoes. General Vo Nguyen Giap, commander-in-chief of North Vietnamese forces at the time, disavows any involvement with the August 4 incident, though he does confirm the August 2 attack.
Johnson Advisor One:
The President has read a briefing on American ships being fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin in waters near North Vietnam. The ships were on a reconnaissance mission when North Vietnamese torpedo boats, thinking that the US ships were South Vietnamese ships, fired torpedoes and machine guns. The US ships responded and destroyed one North Vietnamese torpedo boats. Two days later sailors manning the radar reported that they were again under attack.
Your task is to convince the President to respond slowly, deliberately, and with restraint. You may even advise the President not to make any response other than to ask for an apology for the first attack. Your reasons might include:
1)Early reports like this often contain inaccuracies
2)The US has already responded by sinking a North Vietnamese ship-that should be statement enough
3)Quick responses are often too harsh with actions over the top.
4)We need to count all costs before making any decisions on responses.
Johnson Advisor Two:
The President has read a briefing on American ships being fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin in waters near North Vietnam. The ships were on a reconnaissance mission when North Vietnamese torpedo boats, thinking that the US ships were South Vietnamese ships, fired torpedoes and machine guns. The US ships responded and destroyed one North Vietnamese torpedo boats. Two days later sailors manning the radar reported that they were again under attack.
Your task is to convince the President to get out of any involvement in Vietnam. Your reasons might include:
1)This incident is just the kind of example of how things can get out of control
2)We are not supporting a true democratic government in Vietnam any way—this South Vietnamese government has not had a good track record of human rights, either.
3)Cutting the cord now will enable our administration to focus on the domestic agenda of the Great Society
4)We can accomplish the goal of stopping communism by a series of talks with Ho Chi Minh, convince him that his greatest chances of a free and independent Vietnam is not to be a puppet of Mao Zedung
Johnson Advisor Three:
The President has read a briefing on American ships being fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin in waters near North Vietnam. The ships were on a reconnaissance mission when North Vietnamese torpedo boats, thinking that the US ships were South Vietnamese ships, fired torpedoes and machine guns. The US ships responded and destroyed one North Vietnamese torpedo boats. Two days later sailors manning the radar reported that they were again under attack.
Your task is to convince the President to respond by using the CIA and the military intelligence departments of the military to use multiple covert actions. Your reasons might include:
1)Covert actions will keep the American people from having to know about the messy situations war could bring on.
2)We can really assist the South Vietnamese the best this way, making it look as though they were the true victors, the free world can stand on its own without our continued intervention
3)It would have less risk of China and/or the USSR stepping in to cause trouble and tip the scales the other way.
4)Getting rid of Ho Chi Minh, but making it look as though it were an internal North Vietnamese coup could cause the whole Southeast Asian communist movement to crumble.
Johnson Advisor Four:
The President has read a briefing on American ships being fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin in waters near North Vietnam. The ships were on a reconnaissance mission when North Vietnamese torpedo boats, thinking that the US ships were South Vietnamese ships, fired torpedoes and machine guns. The US ships responded and destroyed one North Vietnamese torpedo boats. Two days later sailors manning the radar reported that they were again under attack.
Your task is to convince the President to respond by going to Congress and ask for a declaration of war against Vietnam or the right to carry on war maneuvers such as ground troops and aerial bombing: Your reasons might include:
1)It is clear that they have no respect for us by these attacks
2)The second attack shows that North Vietnam has total disregard for us and in fact doubts that the US has the resolve or the stomach for a fight.
3)If we strike now with decisive troops and bombing, we can put this whole thing behind us and start concentrating on the domestic agenda.
4)Congress will be more than willing to give you the power to act if you just act, you know those people and they know and trust you.
PRESIDENT KENNEDY
A request has come from the Diem government of South Vietnam for more assistance in the war on communism. Diem points out that the US is in a sense the “father” of South Vietnam with the actions of the Eisenhower administration at the Geneva Accords splitting Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. Diem also points out the Eisenhower was continuing Truman’s containment policy in Southeast Asia when Truman refused to help the communist upstart, Ho Chi Minh, establish what could be the first of many “red” countries in this region. Diem is asking for military help, claiming that he cannot hold the line for freedom without the United States help.
The intelligence report confirms the assessment of Diem on his chances of surviving a war with Ho Chi Minh. Not only are the North Vietnamese waging a better fight, but they are well supplied by their communist bothers—China and the USSR. Diem has also been losing any popularity he might have had with his own people by his harsh attitude toward the Buddhists which make up a majority of the population.
Kennedy Advisor One:
A request has come from the Diem government of South Vietnam for more assistance in the war on communism. Diem points out that the US is in a sense the “father” of South Vietnam with the actions of the Eisenhower administration at the Geneva Accords splitting Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. Diem also points out the Eisenhower was continuing Truman’s containment policy in Southeast Asia when Truman refused to help the communist upstart, Ho Chi Minh, establish what could be the first of many “red” countries in this region. Diem is asking for military help, claiming that he cannot hold the line for freedom without the United States help.
Your task is to convince the President to keep any assistance at a very low profile. The American public loves him but they will not want to see sons die in another “Korea” just to re-establish another line at another parallel. You might want to use the following reasons:
1)Send troops, but call them military advisors, we can send a bunch that way and the public doesn’t need to know.
2)This strategy worked well for FDR during WWII. The public doesn’t need to know all the details. They elected you to lead.
3)We do need to respond, otherwise Diem is a goner.
4)We must continue to be tough about communism, you said so yourself in your inaugural address.
Kennedy Advisor Two:
A request has come from the Diem government of South Vietnam for more assistance in the war on communism. Diem points out that the US is in a sense the “father” of South Vietnam with the actions of the Eisenhower administration at the Geneva Accords splitting Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. Diem also points out the Eisenhower was continuing Truman’s containment policy in Southeast Asia when Truman refused to help the communist upstart, Ho Chi Minh, establish what could be the first of many “red” countries in this region. Diem is asking for military help, claiming that he cannot hold the line for freedom without the United States help.
Your task is to convince the President to stay out of any further involvement in South Vietnam. You might wish to include the following reasons and arguments:
1)Diem is wicked and cruel, if you will explain to the American public they will recognize that he is just as bad or worse than a Stalin or Mao.
2)You can blame Diem on Eisenhower. It will be a perfect opportunity to take a shot at the Republicans.
3)You could call for some meetings with Ho Chi Minh. You might be able to convince him that being a Marxist in that area will just make him a puppet of Mao.
4)In talking to Minh, you can convince him that you are wanting a brave new world, New Frontiers as it were…….the mistakes of past administrations could be forgotten with a new alliance with the free world.
5)To step in now might be a disaster, to step in now with out fully counting the cost could be judged by history to be a real mistake.
Kennedy Advisor Three:
A request has come from the Diem government of South Vietnam for more assistance in the war on communism. Diem points out that the US is in a sense the “father” of South Vietnam with the actions of the Eisenhower administration at the Geneva Accords splitting Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. Diem also points out the Eisenhower was continuing Truman’s containment policy in Southeast Asia when Truman refused to help the communist upstart, Ho Chi Minh, establish what could be the first of many “red” countries in this region. Diem is asking for military help, claiming that he cannot hold the line for freedom without the United States help.
Your task is to convince the President to call for massive numbers of troops and war equipment to go to Vietnam. You might wish to use any or all of the following:
1)You have looked weak at times to the communist world, don’t miss this chance to back up the tough talk with real action.
2)A decisive move now could end the whole ugly affair in a short amount of time, leaving you to focus on communism in Europe.
3)The North Vietnamese will not be able to handle our numbers and technology.
4)You might even threaten Ho Chi Minh with stronger weapons if he doesn’t agree to staying behind the line.
Kennedy Advisor Four:
A request has come from the Diem government of South Vietnam for more assistance in the war on communism. Diem points out that the US is in a sense the “father” of South Vietnam with the actions of the Eisenhower administration at the Geneva Accords splitting Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. Diem also points out the Eisenhower was continuing Truman’s containment policy in Southeast Asia when Truman refused to help the communist upstart, Ho Chi Minh, establish what could be the first of many “red” countries in this region. Diem is asking for military help, claiming that he cannot hold the line for freedom without the United States help.
Your task is to convince the President to ask for a summit meeting with Great Britain, the USSR and North Vietnam to re-assess the Geneva Accords. You may want to use any or all of the following arguments:
1)Using the whole UN at this point is not wise because the USSR will just use it to chide us for what has happened in the past.
2)A summit like this could show your leadership in the world, put pressure on Ho Chi Minh and allow us to get away from further involvement in this region.
3)Sending troops at this point will not show you as much of a peace maker, I know that you are tough on communism but seeing the sons of this country fight and die for a place that is a trivia answer in a geography contest sickens me.
4)If this summit would be a success you could win the Nobel Peace Prize
5)Sending troops will cost a lot of money and you really wanted to use these years to revamp the military and restructure the system. Going into this place now will be counter-productive.
PRESIDENT NIXON
The intelligence report shows that the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong are using trails that cross into Cambodia. The US efforts to disrupt this military supply line has been good except for this leaky border which allows the enemy to continue to bring weapons past the 17th parallel. The US chief negotiator, Henry Kissinger, indicates that he can to bring the North Vietnamese to the table when they hold all the cards. They know that we want out by an agreement to have the line come back, but they have no reason to give that demand when they can see that our will is weak and that they can have it all.
Taking some kind of action to cut this supply line may be the only way to make the North Vietnamese negotiate, but taking the war into Cambodia may be seen by the American people as a breaking of the promise to Vietnamize the war.
Nixon Advisor One:
The intelligence report shows that the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong are using trails that cross into Cambodia. The US efforts to disrupt this military supply line has been good except for this leaky border which allows the enemy to continue to bring weapons past the 17th parallel. The US chief negotiator, Henry Kissinger, indicates that he can to bring the North Vietnamese to the table when they hold all the cards. They know that we want out by an agreement to have the line come back, but they have no reason to give that demand when they can see that our will is weak and that they can have it all.
Your task is to convince the President to forget about the trail and entice the North Vietnamese to the table by some other means. You may wish to use some or all of the following:
1)The anti-war demonstrations will erupt if you take some kind of action in Cambodia
2)Ho Chi Minh will most likely respond with some kind of torturing or parading of the POWs to further weaken the American will.
3)You can secretly through mutual friends offer some kind of economic aid package to bring the Vietnamese to the table.
4)Stick to the promise and keep bringing home the troops the sooner you get it done the quicker you can blame any kind of loss on Johnson and Kennedy, after all it is not your war.
Nixon Advisor Two:
The intelligence report shows that the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong are using trails that cross into Cambodia. The US efforts to disrupt this military supply line has been good except for this leaky border which allows the enemy to continue to bring weapons past the 17th parallel. The US chief negotiator, Henry Kissinger, indicates that he can to bring the North Vietnamese to the table when they hold all the cards. They know that we want out by an agreement to have the line come back, but they have no reason to give that demand when they can see that our will is weak and that they can have it all.
Your task is to convince the President to use B-52’s to bomb the trail. You may wish to use some or all of the following:
1)This tactic will wipe out the supply line and bring them to the table.
2)You can excuse the fact that you bombed Cambodia on faulty instruments, maps, or weather.
3)This is not a breaking of your promise, it will bring “Peace with Honor”
4)You might be able to convince the Cambodians to invite you to get rid of the little problem they have of securing their borders.