White House Attack Briefing
Johnson received an early White House Situation Room briefing describing the attack on USS Maddox, the destroyer's return fire, and the arrival of carrier aircraft.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Lyndon Johnson Biography and Timeline
Follow Lyndon Johnson through 20 dated historical records for United States of America.
Lyndon Johnson, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
20Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1964–1968Years on this page
1964
Congressional Leadership Consultation
Johnson summoned congressional leaders to the White House and briefed them on the reported Tonkin attack and the military response he had authorized.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Gulf of Tonkin Address
Addresses the nation after reported attacks in the Gulf of Tonkin
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Message to Nguyen Khanh
Johnson sent Prime Minister Nguyen Khanh a message explaining that the American strikes were intended to defend United States rights while avoiding an uncontrolled expansion of the conflict.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Pierce Arrow Authorization
Johnson approved a limited retaliatory operation against North Vietnamese patrol-boat bases and petroleum facilities after receiving reports of a second attack in the Gulf.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Request for Southeast Asia Resolution
Johnson sent Congress a special message asking for a formal resolution demonstrating national unity and authorizing measures to protect United States forces and Southeast Asian allies.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Syracuse Tonkin Speech
Johnson used a speech at Syracuse University to review the Tonkin incidents, explain the retaliatory strikes, and state that the United States did not seek a wider war.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Receives congressional authorization to use military force in Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Letter to Khrushchev on Tonkin
Johnson wrote Nikita Khrushchev that the American response had been deliberately limited and asserted that the United States did not want the Tonkin crisis to expand further.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Tonkin Resolution Signed into Law
Johnson signed the congressional Southeast Asia resolution as Public Law 88-408, providing the statutory authority later invoked for a major expansion of United States military operations in Vietnam.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
September Tonkin Report Skepticism
When another possible Gulf incident was reported in September, Johnson expressed serious doubt that hostile vessels had actually been present and resisted treating the reports as proof of an attack.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
1965
Operation Rolling Thunder
Begins sustained bombing of North Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Operation Rolling Thunder
Begins sustained bombing of North Vietnam under Operation Rolling Thunder
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Operation Steel Tiger
Approves air interdiction against Ho Chi Minh Trail routes in southern Laos
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Troop Escalation
Announces expanded US troop commitments to Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
1967
San Antonio Formula
Offers to stop bombing North Vietnam if talks can begin productively
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
1968
Tet Offensive Response
Responds to the Tet Offensive and mounting questions about US strategy
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Review of Senate Tonkin Inquiry
Johnson discussed the renewed Senate scrutiny of the Tonkin episode with his senior foreign-policy advisers as the hearings raised questions about the evidence presented to Congress in 1964.
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Bombing Halt and Withdrawal
Announces a partial bombing halt and says he will not seek reelection
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Bombing Halt
Announces a partial bombing halt and says he will not seek reelection
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1963-1969
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.