The Truth About Tonkin:
Questions about the Gulf of Tonkin incidents have persisted for more than 50 years. But once-classified documents and tapes released in the past several years, combined with previously uncovered facts, make clear that high government officials distorted facts and deceived the American public about events that led to full U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
On 2 August 1964, North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox (DD-731) while the destroyer was in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. There is no doubting that fact.
But what happened in the Gulf during the late hours of 4 August—and the consequential actions taken by U.S. officials in Washington—has been seemingly cloaked in confusion and mystery ever since that night.
https://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2008-02/truth-about-tonkin
Captain Herrick seems to have gotten us into a war with his imaginary first attack. In hindsight, war was inevitable, but going on such a flimsy basis suggests how eager LBJ was. Being in the military at the time, I confess we were champing at the bits, too.