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| 1964, Jan. 6 |
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| A power realignment placed the country under the rule of three generals. | 1 |
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| Jan. 30 |
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| Gen. Nguyên Khanh led a bloodless coup against the ruling junta and proclaimed himself chief of state. | 2 |
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| Feb. 25 |
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| Tass released an “authorized statement” warning the U.S. not to carry the war into North Vietnam. | 3 |
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| March 7 |
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| Premier Khanh announced a one-year reform program to improve the standard of living, increase government stability, and strengthen the anti-Communist military effort. | 4 |
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| March 8–12 |
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| U.S. defense secretary Robert McNamara, leading a fact-finding mission, declared that the U.S. would aid Vietnam as long as necessary to defeat the NLF. In a speech (March 26), he later outlined U.S. goals in South Vietnam: to support its independence and prevent a Communist takeover. He rejected neutralization as opening the door to Communism. | 5 |
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| March 18 |
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| Khanh declared his willingness to restore diplomatic ties with Laos and named a mission to Cambodia to discuss border problems. | 6 |
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| April 15 |
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| The council of SEATO (See Sept. 8), meeting in Manila, affirmed support for South Vietnam against the NLF. | 7 |
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| June–July |
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| Further NLF successes brought increased U.S. efforts to help the Khanh regime stem the tide. Agitation grew for extending the war to North Vietnam to destroy the supply bases for the NLF. | 8 |
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| July 8 |
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| UN secretary-general U Thant proposed reconvening the Geneva Conference to end the war. | 9 |
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| July 24 |
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| The U.S. rejected a proposal by Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) for international neutralization of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. De Gaulle doubted the possibility of a military victory. | 10 |
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| Aug. 2 |
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| Following South Vietnamese coastal raids (July 30–31), three North Vietnamese torpedo boats pursued and attacked the U.S. destroyer Maddox in international waters. The Maddox, supported by U.S. airplanes from the carrier Ticonderoga, returned fire, disabling one attacker. A second North Vietnamese naval attack (Aug. 4) on the Maddox and the Turner Joy followed. In retaliation, U.S. planes destroyed oil and naval installations on the North Vietnamese coast. The matter was brought to the UN Security Council, which invited both North and South Vietnam to appear to present evidence. | 11 |
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| Aug. 5 |
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| At Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson's request, Congress passed overwhelmingly (with only two senators opposed) the TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION (See Aug. 7), authorizing him to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the U.S. and to prevent further aggression.” Congress also approved “all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist any member or protocol state” of SEATO. | 12 |
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