Has to defend his actions of the past so he doesnt look like an aggressive and unfair person in power.

He is explaining why he acted the way he did trying to justify his actions.

Although its a website the fact that it has a named eye witness account means it is based on fact.

It is useful because we understand what the Americans were told at the time. Plus we understand why they supported the war.

Its from and US source yet questions their actions so more useful as it isnt biased.

Useful because this source has the benefit of being written way after the event when many sources both primary and secondary has been written. New information had to come to light about the incident which allowed modern historians to get a complete picture of the incident.

Useful as we understand the official motivation of the US for full troop use in Vietnam. Useful because hes very certain on the first one but less on the second incident which fits In with modern day interpretations of the time and might suggest the modern ones are true.

Whats actually said?

Loaded Language: How much?

What do You expect him to say??

On the Gulf of Tonkin incident:

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Last night I announced to the American people that the North Vietnamese regime had conducted further deliberate attacks against US navel vessels operating in international waters, and I had therefore directed air action against gunboats and supporting facilities used in these hostile operations. This air action has now been carried out with substantial damage to the boats and facilities. Two US aircraft were lost in the action. From President Johnsons message to congress, 5 August 1964 ( from Documents of American History, H S Commanger, 1968).

Whats actually said?

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On the Gulf of Tonkin incident: We were certain at the time that the first attack took place. I believe the date was August 2nd, 1964. We made every effort to be certain that we were right, one way or the other -- it had occurred or it hadn't occurred. And it was reported that there were North Vietnamese shell fragments on the deck of the U.S. destroyer Maddox. I actually sent a person out to pick up the shell fragments and bring them to my office, to be sure that the attack did occur. I am confident that it did; I was confident then, I am confident today. That was the August 2nd attack. On August 4th, it was reported another attack occurred. It was not clear then that that attack had occurred. We made every possible effort to determine whether it had or not. I was in direct communication with the Commander-in-Chief of all of our forces in the Pacific (CINCPAC) by telephone several times during that day, to find out whether it had or hadn't occurred. He had reports from the commanders of the destroyers on the scene: they had what were known as sonar readings -- these are sound readings. There were eyewitness reports. And ultimately it was concluded that almost certainly the attack had occurred. But even at the time there was some recognition of a margin of error, so we thought it highly probable but not entirely certain.

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Robert McNamara was Secretary of Defense during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. He was a key architect of early U.S. policy in Vietnam and supported the U.S. military involvement. Interview recorded in 1997.

Whats actually said?

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On the Gulf of Tonkin incident: On the night of Aug 4, the Pentagon proclaimed that a second attack by North Vietnamese PT boats had occurred earlier that day in the Tonkin Gulf. Johnson ordered US bombers to retaliate for a North Vietnamese torpedo attack that never happened. One of the Navy pilots flying overhead that night was squadron commander James Stockdale. He said, I had the bet seat in the house to watch that event and our destroyers were just shooting at phantom targets there were no PT boats there There was nothing there but black water and American fire- power. From an article written in 1994 on the Gulf of Tonkin incident (from a US website, www.fair.org).
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