Public Law 88-408, Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (10 August 1964)
Public Law 88-408, as printed at 78 Stat. 384, states that naval units of the Communist regime in Vietnam deliberately and repeatedly attacked United States vessels, and that Congress approves the President's determination to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack and to prevent further aggression. The attacks are stated, and the grant of authority follows from that statement.
Propaganda techniques used in this document
- Date
- August 10, 1964
- Period
- Cold War
- Made by
- United States Congress
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Document
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Johnson Administration
- Leader
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- Vietnam War
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- GovInfo (U.S. Government Publishing Office), retrieved October 5, 2026
- Rights
- U.S. federal work, 17 U.S.C. 105 (Statutes at Large)
United States Congress, Public Law 88-408, 78 Stat. 384 (10 August 1964). Scan: U.S. Government Publishing Office via GovInfo.
Text on the object
78 STAT. 384 PUBLIC LAW 88-408-AUG. 10, 1964 Public Law 88-408 JOINT RESOLUTION August 10, 1964 [H. J. Res. 1145] To promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia. Whereas naval units of the Communist regime in Vietnam, in violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law, have deliberately and repeatedly attacked United States naval vessels lawfully present in international waters, and have thereby created a serious threat to international peace; and Whereas these attacks are part of a deliberate and systematic campaign of aggression that the Communist regime in North Vietnam has been waging against its neighbors and the nations joined with them in the collective defense of their freedom; and Whereas the United States is assisting the peoples of southeast Asia to protect their freedom and has no territorial, military or political ambitions in that area, but desires only that these peoples should be left in peace to work out their own destinies in their own way: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression. SEC. 2. The United States regards as vital to its national interest and to world peace the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia. Consonant with the Constitution of the United States and the Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with its obligations under the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, the United States is, therefore, prepared, as the President determines, to take all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist any member or protocol state of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty requesting assistance in defense of its freedom. SEC. 3. This resolution shall expire when the President shall determine that the peace and security of the area is reasonably assured by international conditions created by action of the United Nations or otherwise, except that it may be terminated earlier by concurrent resolution of the Congress. Approved August 10, 1964.
Read from the GovInfo scan of 78 Stat. 384. Words split only by a line-end hyphen (violation, campaign, determine) are rejoined. Marginal citations "59 Stat. 1031" and "6 UST 81" sit beside the first whereas and are omitted from the running text.
