Question

in august 1964, an incident occurred in the gulf of tonkin involving u.s. naval ships and north vietnamese forces. the u.s. claimed that its ships were attacked, though the details remain unclear. this event led congress to pass the gulf of tonkin resolution, giving president lyndon b. johnson broad powers to escalate american involvement in vietnam without a formal declaration of war. as a result, u.s. troop numbers increased dramatically. the resolution marked a turning point, allowing the war to grow into a major conflict.
what is the main idea of the passage?
a. the u.s. navy defeated north vietnamese ships in 1964.
b. the gulf of tonkin resolution gave the president authority to expand the war.
c. congress refused to support military action in vietnam.
d. president johnson declared war on north vietnam after the attack.

Explanation:

To find the main idea, analyze each option:

• Option A: The passage doesn't say the U.S. navy defeated North Vietnamese ships; it's about the incident leading to the resolution, so A is wrong.
• Option B: The passage states the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President Johnson broad powers to escalate U.S. involvement in Vietnam, which matches.
• Option C: Congress passed the resolution, so they supported action, making C wrong.
• Option D: The passage says there was no formal declaration of war, so D is wrong.

Answer:

B. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave the president authority to expand the war.