Why did LBJ escalate our involvement in Vietnam?

Answer 1

Multiple events contributed by LBJ escalated the Vietnam War. The first was National Security Memorandum #273 of 11/26/63, which authorized covert operations against North Vietnam, which completely reversed Kennedy's Vietnam policy in National Security Memorandum #263. On August 7, 1964, the Tonkin Gulf Resolution is adopted after the U.S-staged incident in the Gulf of Tonkin, which attempted to blame the North Vietnamese for an attack on a U.S. destroyer. The resolution gave the president broad war powers to allow him to implement military action to prevent hostile action against U.S. forces. In early February of 1965, the U.S. begins Operation Rolling Thunder, a massive bombing campaign against North Vietnam and the Vietcong. Finally, the clinching and sticking commitment decision came on June 8, 1965, when Johnson committed to send U.S. ground forces to South Vietnam.

Answer 2

In July of 1965, President Johnson decided to accept the proposals from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and provide the army with 44 more combat battalions and he endorsed the army's recommendation to engage in a "search and destroy" strategy for the war in Vietnam. Instead of remaining in a contain mode, the new mission would take the war to the enemy and test North Vietnam's willingness to accept major damage and continue the war.