The Johnson Administration - 1965

1965

On February 7, 1965 an NLF attack at Pleiku was the basis for launching the continuous bombing of NVN - operation Rolling Thunder

The bombing was designed to cripple the NVN economy, disrupt the flow of troops and supplies to the south, and punish NVN for its support

Most analysts realized then and now that the bombing was a political act, not a military one

The consequences were political: unifying NVN population behind the war effort; condemnation of the U.S. around the world and at home

The only possible military policy was unrestricted bombing - of civilian areas in Hanoi and Haiphong; this posed great risks of Chinese and Soviet intervention

Between April and July 1965, U.S. government debates the policy of large-scale U.S. intervention
even as more U.S. troops arrive

In July, Johnson makes the final commitment decision to deploy several hundred thousand troops

At the end of 1965, 180,000 U.S. are in Vietnam