"The U.S. role in Indochina, in the years immediately after the second world war, was at first ambivalent... American involvement deepened gradually over the next two decades, with each Administration bequeathing to its successor a conflict whose dimensions were never fully revealed to the Congress or to the American people." — The Pentagon Papers, leaked excerpt published June 1971
Which earlier event most contributed to the "credibility gap" the Pentagon Papers later confirmed?
- A
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution's near-unanimous passage in 1964
- B
The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962
- C
Eisenhower's farewell address in 1961
- Dcheck_circle
The Tet Offensive of 1968, which contradicted official claims of imminent victory
Explanation
Tet showed the Viet Cong capable of nationwide attacks despite Westmoreland's optimistic forecasts, opening the credibility gap. The Tonkin Resolution actually expanded support; the farewell address and missile crisis are unrelated to Vietnam reporting.