The term "Gulf of Tonkin Incident" refers to a pivotal event in U.S. history occurring in August 1964, which escalated military involvement in Vietnam. It involved two reported attacks on U.S. naval vessels, the USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy, by North Vietnamese forces in the Gulf of Tonkin. The U.S. government, interpreting these incidents as acts of aggression, sought congressional approval for broader military action, resulting in the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This resolution granted President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to escalate U.S. military engagement in Vietnam, ultimately leading to a protracted and controversial conflict that shaped U.S. foreign policy.