Tet Offensive

What happened during the Tet Offensive?

The Tet Offensive was a significant turning point in the Vietnam War. The US government had told the public it was doing well in its fight against the Vietcong and would soon be able to bring the war to an end. However, just months later, the North Vietnamese and the Vietcong launched a series of major attacks in South Vietnam.

When did the Tet Offensive start?

The Tet Offensive started on 30th January, 1968. There was supposed to a ceasefire to allow for celebrations in honour of Tet, a Vietnamese holiday celebrating the lunar new year.

Where did the Tet Offensive happen?

Hundreds of towns, cities and military bases were attacked during the Tet Offensive, along with General Westmoreland's base and the US embassy building, both in Saigon.

What was General Westmoreland's role in the Tet Offensive?

General Westmoreland was the commander of the US Army in Vietnam. He played a key role in the Tet Offensive as the attacks caught him off guard. Months earlier he had presented the view to Congress that the war was going well. He said: 'We will prevail in Vietnam over the communist aggressor.'.

Why did the Tet Offensive happen?

The Tet Offensive had two aims:

• ❖ The Vietcong and North Vietnamese government hoped it would win them support from the South Vietnamese against the Americans, inspiring them to get rid of the current government and force the Americans from the country.
• ❖ They hoped a decisive victory against the Americans would attract media attention in the USA, weakening support from the war from its citizens.

What were the key events in the Tet Offensive?

There were a number of key events in the Tet Offensive:

• ❖ In the build up to the Tet Offensive the Vietcong carried out smaller attacks, away from important cities, to draw US troops. Around 50,000 American GIs were sent to defend these areas.
• ❖ On 30th January, 84,000 Vietcong and North Vietnamese soldiers launched a number of attacks across Vietnam.
• ❖ The Americans were on the back foot to begin with. However, they recovered and quickly recaptured the towns, cities and bases taken by the enemy during the attacks.
• ❖ The American embassy in Saigon was retaken by US paratroopers within hours.
• ❖ The communist forces were defeated in the Tet Offensive. 50,000 North Vietnamese troops and 10,000 Vietcong soldiers were killed.

What happened to Hue during the Tet Offensive?

The Vietcong captured the city of Hue, and it took three weeks for the Americans to recapture the city.

Why was the USA shocked by the Tet Offensive?

The US government and media had given Americans the impression they were winning the war. The Tet Offensive changed public opinion, as many began to see the reality.

How many casualties were there in the Tet Offensive?

Around 50,000 Vietcong fighters died, compared to 2,500 American soldiers.

What were the failures of the Tet Offensive for the Vietcong?

Militarily, the Tet Offensive was a defeat for the Vietcong and North Vietnam. They lost thousands of soldiers, and the USA re-took all cities, towns and bases.

What were the successes of the Tet Offensive for the Vietcong?

The Tet Offensive was both a political and psychological victory for a number of reasons.

• ❖ They had shown they could strike at any moment, and could take key cities and bases.
• ❖ The events were shown across US television, and the public saw the chaos and destruction. Americans now came to realise that, despite the clear advantage American military should have had, they were proving to be no match to the Vietcong's guerrilla tactics.
• ❖ The American public started to turn against President Johnson and the USA's involvement in the Vietnam War. This was one of the Vietcong's aims.

What were the results of the Tet Offensive?

The Tet Offensive was a huge turning point in the war, and had a number of consequences.

• ❖ The Americans began to question their involvement in Vietnam. They had been told, months before, that the end of the war was close. The Tet Offensive showed them that this was not true.
• ❖ The USA had spent vast sums of money, and many people had lost loved ones in the jungle of Vietnam, but the Vietcong were able to strike a blow at the US embassy and showed no signs of letting up. It became clear to the US public that the war was not going to be over soon.
• ❖ In March 1968, President Johnson told the US public that he would not be running in the next presidential election.
• ❖ In June 1968, General Westmoreland was replaced by General Creighton Abrams. It was clear that Johnson was not happy with Westmoreland when he requested 200,000 more troops, and he turned down the request.
• ❖ The Tet Offensive had woken people up to the fact that the USA was now spending $30 billion a year fighting the Vietcong, and 300 Americans were being killed every week in Vietnam.
• ❖ The Tet Offensive had also killed many civilians and destroyed many cities, further weakening support for the war.

What were the consequences of the Tet Offensive for the Vietcong?

The Vietcong had expected the south to rise up in revolt, but this didn't happen; instead, the Vietcong was nearly wiped out. Between them, the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army lost around 45,000 men.