Vietnam War - 1964, McNamara Press Conference on Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Secretary of Defense Robert S McNamara to podium: “As you know on August 2nd & again on August 04th, North Vietnamese surface vessels attacked US destroyers operating on routine patrol in International waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. In retaliation for this unprovoked attack on the high seas our forces have struck the bases used by the North Vietnamese patrol craft. During the night 64 attack sorties were launched from the US carriers Ticonderoga & Constellation....”
12:40:23 W/ pointer to map showing bases hit in retaliation.
12:40:57 “...the oil storage depot which contains 14 tanks, approx 10% of....approx. 25% of the boats were damaged or destroyed. (two planes were lost) Two of our aircraft were damaged, all others have been recovered safely on the carriers. The destroyers Maddox & Turner Joy...have resumed their patrol operations...” Goes on to describe further actions of transferring Attack Carrier Group from First Fleet to western Pacific; interceptor & fighter bombers have been moved into South Vietnam...and Thailand, etc.
12:42:42 McNamara answers questions from newsmen about the air strikes w/ heavy anti-aircraft fire over targets. “I can’t tell you the caliber, other than heavy aircraft fire.” MS of map w/ McNamara pointing to base.
re attack on US ships: “I can’t explain it, they were unprovoked...sixty miles off the North Vietnamese coast...”
12:48:18 Leaves podium.
12:48:28 CU of pointer & map w/ five targets struck in retaliation.
USA / American Propaganda; Government Official Lies; 06Aug64; 05Aug64 (USA date of press conference not ascertained);
NOTE: On 02Aug64 an attack on Maddox may have occurred. The second on 04Aug64 did not occur but the claim was used as an excuse for the retaliation & the subsequent passage of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution by Congress.
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Vietnam War - 1964, McNamara Press Conference on Gulf of Tonkin Incident Secretary of Defense Robert S McNamara to podium: “As you know on August 2nd & again on August 04th, North Vietnamese surface vessels attacked US destroyers operating on routine patrol in International waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. In retaliation for this unprovoked attack on the high seas our forces have struck the bases used by the North Vietnamese patrol craft. During the night 64 attack sorties were launched from the US carriers Ticonderoga & Constellation....” 12:40:23 W/ pointer to map showing bases hit in retaliation. 12:40:57 “...the oil storage depot which contains 14 tanks, approx 10% of....approx. 25% of the boats were damaged or destroyed. (two planes were lost) Two of our aircraft were damaged, all others have been recovered safely on the carriers. The destroyers Maddox & Turner Joy...have resumed their patrol operations...” Goes on to describe further actions of transferring Attack Carrier Group from First Fleet to western Pacific; interceptor & fighter bombers have been moved into South Vietnam...and Thailand, etc. 12:42:42 McNamara answers questions from newsmen about the air strikes w/ heavy anti-aircraft fire over targets. “I can’t tell you the caliber, other than heavy aircraft fire.” MS of map w/ McNamara pointing to base. re attack on US ships: “I can’t explain it, they were unprovoked...sixty miles off the North Vietnamese coast...” 12:48:18 Leaves podium. 12:48:28 CU of pointer & map w/ five targets struck in retaliation. USA / American Propaganda; Government Official Lies; 06Aug64; 05Aug64 (USA date of press conference not ascertained); NOTE: On 02Aug64 an attack on Maddox may have occurred. The second on 04Aug64 did not occur but the claim was used as an excuse for the retaliation & the subsequent passage of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution by Congress.