 On the same day , the Viet Cong bombed the Brinks Hotel , where US officers were billeted , killing two Americans and injuring around 50 people , civilian bystanders and military personnel . As a result , there was a suspicion among a minority that Khánh 's junta had been behind the attack , even though the Viet Cong had claimed responsibility through a radio broadcast . When the Americans started making plans to retaliate against North Vietnam , they did not tell Khánh and his junta . Westmoreland , Taylor , and other senior US officers in Saigon and Washington urged President Lyndon Baines Johnson to authorize reprisal bombings against North Vietnam , Taylor predicting : " Some of our local squabbles will probably disappear in enthusiasm which our action would generate . " Johnson refused and one reason was the political instability in Saigon . Johnson reasoned the international community and the American public were unlikely to believe the Viet Cong were behind the attack , feeling they would instead blame local infighting for the violence . Johnson administration officials did not conclude that the communists were responsible until four days after the attack . The State Department cabled Taylor , saying " In view of the overall confusion in Saigon " , public US and international opinion towards an American air strike would be that the Johnson administration was " trying to shoot its way out of an internal [ South Vietnamese ] political crisis " . 
 On the same day , the Viet Cong bombed the Brinks Hotel , where US officers <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> billeted , killing two Americans and injuring around 50 people , civilian bystanders and military personnel . As a result , <a href='dey_it' title='2'><mark>there</mark></a> was a suspicion among a minority that Khánh <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>junta had been behind the attack , even though the Viet Cong <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> claimed responsibility through a radio broadcast . When the Americans started making plans to retaliate against North Vietnam , they did not tell Khánh and his junta . Westmoreland , Taylor , and other senior US officers in Saigon and Washington urged President Lyndon Baines Johnson to authorize reprisal bombings against North Vietnam , Taylor predicting : " Some of our local squabbles will probably disappear in enthusiasm which our action would generate . " Johnson refused and one reason was the political instability in Saigon . Johnson reasoned the international community and the American public <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> unlikely to believe the Viet Cong <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> behind the attack , feeling they would instead blame local infighting for the violence . Johnson administration officials did not conclude that the communists <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> responsible until four days after the attack . The State Department cabled Taylor , saying " In view of the overall confusion in Saigon " , public US and international opinion towards an American air strike would be that the Johnson administration was " trying to shoot its way out of an internal [ South Vietnamese ] political crisis " . 
On the same day , da Viet Cong bombed the Brinks Hotel , where US officers was billeted , killin two Americans and injuring around 50 ppl , civilian bystanders and military personnel . As a result , it was a suspicion among a minority that Khánh  junta had been behind the attack , even doe tdaViet Cong done claimed responsibility thru a radio broadcast . When the Americans started making plans to retaliate against North Vietnam , they did not tell Khánh and his junta . Westmoreland , Taylor , and other senior US officers in Saigon and Washington urged President Lyndon Baines Johnson to authorize reprisal bombings against North Vietnam , Taylor predicting : " Some of our local squabbles will probly disappear in enthusiasm which our action would generate . " Johnson refused and one reason was the political instability in Saigon . Johnson reasoned the international community and the American public was unlikely to believe thdaiet Cong was behind the attack , feelin they would instead blame local infighting fir the violence . Johnson administration officials did not conclude that the communists was responsible til 4 dayz after the attack . The State Department cabled Taylor , saying " In view of thedaerall confusion in Saigon " , public US and international opinion towards an American air strike would b dat the danson administration was " tryna shoot its way out of an internal [ South Vietnamese ] political crisis " .