On August 2 it was attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats. It was an attempt by North Vietnam to draw the United States further into conflict. What Was True About The Gulf Of Tonkin Incident A It Showed The Military Superiority Of The South Brainly Com But the reports were false and the president knew it. . But the US bombing of North Vietnam on August 4 1964 in retaliation for an alleged naval attack that never happened was not a move by LBJ to pave the way for war in Vietnam. The first attack August 2 was corroborated but the USS Maddox the main target went out without damage. Establishes the overall incident objectives strategies and tacticsC. While the first attack on USS Maddox has not been disputed the American narrative conveniently left out the fact that the initial North Vietnamese attacks were provoked. -it was passed by congress based on incorrect information about attacks on. The incident was a hoax.