The Tet Offensive
"If I would have to do it over again, I would have made known the forthcoming Tet Offensive" -William Westmoreland
The Tet Offensive were coordinated surprise attacks that North Vietnam launched on January 31, 1968. 70,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces attacked more than 100 cities and towns in South Vietnam, targeting military and civilian commands and control centers. The attack was planned by Gerneral Vo Nguyen Giap in order to cause rebellion and encourage the U.S. to scale back support of their involvement in the war. The attack broke the ceasefire called for the lunar holiday that usually calls peace between the North and South every year, stunning the U.S. and South Vietnam, making them momentarily lose control of many cities, but they regained control and were able to fight back. The attack shocked the U.S. and made many Americans change their views on the war and public support plummeted by 50 percent.
Though Giap was able to surprise the U.S., he did not have enough troops to make a large impact and the U.S. and South Vietnam were able to counter most of the attacks. One of the most intense battles from the Offensive took place at Hue, which lie about 50 miles south of the demilitarized zone between the North and South. The North was able to take Hue and during their occupation at Hue, the Viet Cong went from house to house, arresting civil servants, teachers, religious leaders and others connected with the American regime or Southern Vietnamese regime. They executed them then buried their bodies in mass graves. After regaining the city on February 26, they found 2,800 bodies and in addition, about 3,000 people were missing from the city. Many of the cities temples, monuments, and palaces were destroyed.
Both sides came out with heavy losses yet also victories. The U.S. and South Vietnam we able to regain most of the territory lost during the Tet Offensive, yet at the same time it weakened support for the war in the U.S. Before the Tet Offensive, Westmoreland and other representatives from the Johnson administration had been announcing that the end of the war was near. However, the U.S. media presented to the public from the Offensive and made it obvious that the war would not end soon, leaving the public distraught and opposed, causing people to protest. On March 31, 1968, President Johnson ordered a bombing halt north of the 20th parallel in hopes that North Vietnam's leaders would return peace to the table. He also announced that he would not be running for another term. This marked a turning point in the American involvement in the Vietnam War.
Though Giap was able to surprise the U.S., he did not have enough troops to make a large impact and the U.S. and South Vietnam were able to counter most of the attacks. One of the most intense battles from the Offensive took place at Hue, which lie about 50 miles south of the demilitarized zone between the North and South. The North was able to take Hue and during their occupation at Hue, the Viet Cong went from house to house, arresting civil servants, teachers, religious leaders and others connected with the American regime or Southern Vietnamese regime. They executed them then buried their bodies in mass graves. After regaining the city on February 26, they found 2,800 bodies and in addition, about 3,000 people were missing from the city. Many of the cities temples, monuments, and palaces were destroyed.
Both sides came out with heavy losses yet also victories. The U.S. and South Vietnam we able to regain most of the territory lost during the Tet Offensive, yet at the same time it weakened support for the war in the U.S. Before the Tet Offensive, Westmoreland and other representatives from the Johnson administration had been announcing that the end of the war was near. However, the U.S. media presented to the public from the Offensive and made it obvious that the war would not end soon, leaving the public distraught and opposed, causing people to protest. On March 31, 1968, President Johnson ordered a bombing halt north of the 20th parallel in hopes that North Vietnam's leaders would return peace to the table. He also announced that he would not be running for another term. This marked a turning point in the American involvement in the Vietnam War.