The communist forces also suffered very heavy losses an estimated 45,000 killed. The 1968 tet offensive is described as one of the bloodiest military campaign of the vietnam war. Supposedly, general giap had written in how we won the war that in the aftermath of the tet offensive of 1968, the communist leaders in vietnam had been ready to abandon the war. The year 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the tet offensive, one of the largest military campaigns and a turning point of the vietnam war. In most american accounts of war, the tet offensive lasts only a few weeks, and the end date is usually. The tet offensive was supposed to begin on january 31, during a truce.
Tet was visibly the wrong end to the war if not a breaking point in terms of public support for the war. That same phrase had been heard in 1953, in french, during frances unsuccessful effort to recolonize vietnams when it was known as french indochina. Jan 29, 2018 the offensive that hanois leaders launched in late january 1968 resulted from the estimation shared by nearly all observers in mid1967, americans and vietnamese that the war in south vietnam was stalemated. Johnson lbj, as he took over the presidency after the death of kennedy, initially did not consider vietnam a priority and was more concerned with his great society the johnson administration employed a policy of minimum candor in. Tet offensive, attacks staged by north vietnamese forces beginning in the early hours of january 31, 1968, during the vietnam war. The attacks were carried out by some 85,000 troops against five major south vietnamese cities, dozens of military installations, and scores of towns and villages throughout south vietnam. Militarily, the offensive was a failure, as the north vietnamese army and its guerrilla allies in.
William westmoreland, who had promised his political and wall street masters that the end of the war was in sight, was sacked in june. Revisiting vietnam 50 years after the tet offensive. Indeed, in november 1967, general william westmoreland, the commander in vietnam, had announced that the u. In mid1967 the costs of the war mounted daily with no military victory in sight for either side. The tet offensive caused 1968 to become a critical year in the vietnam war. Oct 10, 2017 during the vietnam war 19591975, the tet offensive in 1968 significantly marked a crucial turning point that led to the deescalation and total withdrawal of us troops from vietnam, just several years later. The fighting, the heaviest and most sustained of the vietnam war, coincided with the lunar new year, or tet, and it has been called the tet offensive ever since. Good read but lacked depth concerning some other close battles that erupted during tet. There are many books and publications published about the offensive.
Aug 17, 2018 in military terms, the united states was the victor of the tet offensive for the communists did not succeed in maintaining control over any part of south vietnam. This brief peacetime was ripped away, however, when the viet cong and the armies of north vietnam enacted the tet offensive against around one hundred. The 1968 tet offensive and the epic battle to survive the vietnam war stanton, doug on. Vietnam war a memoir history of vietnam tet offensive. It was a series of simultaneous attacks across south vietnam during the lunar new year of tet. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
The tet offensive was the turning point in the vietnam war, and was launched against the united states. In military terms, the united states was the victor of the tet offensive for the communists did not succeed in maintaining control over any part of south vietnam. How did the tet offensive influence the outcome of the. Jan 31, 2018 the aps peter arnett reported on the vietnam war from 1962 until its end in 1975. Dec 21, 2016 supposedly, general giap had written in how we won the war that in the aftermath of the tet offensive of 1968, the communist leaders in vietnam had been ready to abandon the war, but that a broadcast by walter cronkite, declaring the tet offensive a communist victory, persuaded them to change their minds and fight on. Da nang and the minitet offensive vietnam war books. When a temporary peace was called for the lunar new year, it seemed there would be a period of rest during the tragic conflict. The tet offensive reversed this pattern by taking the war to more than 150 cities, towns, and hamlets and did so with communist cadre who, according to westmoreland, did not exist. However, the tet offensive showed another side of the war to americans, one which they did not like. Opinion the tet offensive was just the beginning the. Embassy marked the start of the tet offensive, a series of massive coordinated attacks throughout south vietnam. However, this was all about to change when the north vietnamese considered a surprise attack. The tet offensive showed that the american mission in vietnam, if it was to continue, would require several more years, billions more dollars and thousands more american lives.
Turning point in vietnam and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. To say that we are closer to victory today is to believe in the face of the evidence, the optimists who have been wrong. At the end of january 1968, at the start of the tet lunar new year, the viet cong broke a ceasefire by launching surprise attacks on dozens of cities across south vietnam. Up to that time the johnson administration had been confidently telling the american people that the north vietnamese. The tet offensive of 1968 was the pivotal event of the long vietnam war. Politics, war, and public opinion vietnam and it was written by david f. Hanoi also hoped to weaken the saigon government and drive a wedge between south vietnam and the u. In what was called the tet offensive, guerrilla fighters attacked most american airbases in south vietnam and most of the souths major cities. Launched on 30 january, it was supposed to decimate the puppet armed forces of. Despite these apparent failures, however, the tet offensive did deliver a strategic blow on the part of the north vietnamese in a way that would change the course of the vietnam war. The tet offensive was a coordinated series of north vietnamese attacks on. Robbins offers a revision of the famous viet cong, nva surprise offensive of 1968, a battle which supposedly uncovered the impossibility of winning the war in vietnam. How the tet offensive undermined american faith in government.
A month after the offensive began, us estimates put the number of civilian dead at some 15,000 and the number of new refugees at anything up to two million and still the battles went on. The tet offensive was a turning point in the vietnam war, but one that irreparably poisoned american public opinion on u. How the tet offensive undermined american faith in. Against this background, the party leadership in hanoi decided that. Supposedly, general giap had written in how we won the war that in the aftermath of the tet offensive of 1968, the communist leaders in vietnam had been ready to abandon the war, but that a broadcast by walter cronkite, declaring the tet offensive a communist victory, persuaded them to change their minds and fight on.
What was the significance of the tet offensive and why was. Beginning in late 1967, the hanoi government began a strategy of attacking remote areas to. Battle of khe sanh may have been the cause of the tet. Secretary of defense robert mcnamara said in numerous press conferences as did l b jonhson that the war was won.
By the end of january 1968, american troops had been fighting in south vietnam for almost three years. Nov 02, 2019 if you listen to american historians, the vietnam war was politically lost in the aftermath of the tet offensive of january 1968. An historical perspective 14 march 2012 vietnam war journal 2 vietnam conflict within the johnson administration and the tet offensive lyndon b. In 2008, on its 40th anniversary, alan woods analysed the events that led to the vietnam war and the significance of the tet offensive in bringing about the defeat of us imperialism, and drew some parallels with iraq. Did america lose the vietnam war from a military or political. Americans had been told for years that the war was being won. The only proposition to win universal agreement is that the tet offensive represented a significant turning point in the vietnam war as well as american history. Strategically, the tet offensive was designed with no less a goal than to win the war. The tet offensive was a major surprise attack on south vietnam orchestrated by nva commander general vo nguyen giap. What digital items do customers buy after viewing this item.
However, on january 30, 1968, the viet cong and north vietnamese launched their massive tet offensive all across south vietnam. This presaged a siege and battle that would last for seventyseven days and would see 6,000 marines hold off 20,000 north vietnamese. Prior to the tet offensive, many believed that the vietnam war was coming to an end and that the viet cong was most certain to lose. They decided to seek revenge and destroy the south vietnamese and their allies, the americans. Jan 15, 2018 the tet offensive showed that johnson and westmoreland were lying about having reached an important point where the end begins to come into view, as westmoreland famously had said.
That said, i did appreciate the inclusion of the primary documents at the end. This book explores this question not with a view to providing a final answer, but to act as a beginning from which serious scholars and students of the second indochina war can attempt to explain the phenomenon called the tet offensive. The tet offensive was a major offensive launched by the nva and the vc. As a result, tet helped spur the notion that the war in vietnam symbolized all that was wrong with america, and to that end, vietnam increasingly became a lightning rod for a variety of protests. May 25, 2018 at the end of january 1968, at the start of the tet lunar new year, the viet cong broke a ceasefire by launching surprise attacks on dozens of cities across south vietnam. How walter cronkites broadcast changed the vietnam war. It was the first day of tet vietnam s lunar new year and most. How did the tet offensive alter the course of the vietnam war. The tet offensive was a costly military defeat for the communist forces, but it. How the tet offensive changed the vietnam war history. The tet offensive in the vietnam war essay 2446 words 10 pages. The offensive that hanois leaders launched in late january 1968 resulted from the estimation shared by nearly all observers in mid1967, americans and vietnamese that the war in south vietnam was stalemated. The peoples army of vietnam pavn and the viet cong vc suffered heavy casualties in that failed effort and the planned culminating phases of the campaign were limited.
I purchased this book looking for a definitive battle history of the tet offensive. Today there have been a great number of writings about this event. What effects did the tet offensive in vietnam have on the war. Johnson stepped down after poor results in primary elections and was replaced by president richard nixon, who had promised peace with honour in the vietnam war.
Even now, the tet offensive continues to inspire bitter debate among historians, military officers, government officials, veterans, journalists, and the public. The 1968 tet offensive was an event which effected a marked change on the almost certain outcome of the vietnam war. Although the united states pushed back the offensive and won a tactical victory, american media coverage characterized the. Now it was clear that a long struggle was before them, and more americans began to ask if the cost of fighting in southeast.
North vietnam and the nlf launched the tet offensive in hopes of forcing the u. The tet offensive and the vietnam war history teaching. Finalist for the 1971 national book awardin early 1968, communist forces in vietnam launched a surprise offensive that targeted nearly every city, town, and major military base throughout south vietnam. Revisiting vietnam 50 years after the tet offensive history. After moving troops and supplies into south vietnam, he launched a diversionary attack against the american base at khe sanh on 21 january 1968. At the time of the tet offensive, i had been covering the vietnam war for three years, ever since johnson dramatically raised the u. He is the author of two books on the vietnam war, including abandoning vietnam. Essay on the tet offensive of the vietnam war 2394 words.
On the 50th anniversary of the tet offensive, the ap is publishing this edited extract from his book were. Jan 30, 2018 the tet offensive was a costly military defeat for the communist forces, but it proved to be a political victory because it turned u. Villard and a panel will discuss the tet offensive and villards book, combat operations. The buildup of american forces nearly half a million men were deployed in vietnam by december had put the vietcong on the defensive and led to bloody repulses of the north vietnamese army nva, which had started intervening on the battlefield to ease the. T he tet offensive of early 1968 constituted the biggest military setback suffered by communist forces that is, the combined armies of the national front for the liberation of southern vietnam nlf, or viet cong and the peoples army of vietnam pavn, the norths regular army in the vietnam war.
The significance of the tet offensive for the vietnam war. In 1968, the north vietnamese army and the viet cong launched a massive campaign called the tet offensive, attacking nearly thirty u. Fifty years later, vietnam veterans recall the tet offensive. Elsewhere in south vietnam, the success of the tet offensive was erratic. Don oberdorfer was a diplomatic correspondent for the washington post from 1976 until. In his book, hue 1968, author and journalist mark bowden, discusses the tet offensive and how the north vietnamese planned to win the war in a single stroke with military actions and popular uprisings across south vietnam, but the most crucial part of the plan was the capture of hue, the countrys cultural capital. In late january 1968, during the lunar new year or tet holiday, north vietnamese and communist viet cong forces launched a coordinated attack against targets in south vietnam. Fighting did lull around the end of the month, but this was only because the tet offensive had kicked off then. The offensive was an attempt to foment rebellion among the south. The politics of the war, as well as those carrying it out, came under heavy questioning in america as a result. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the vietnam war 19451975 and what it means. On the american side, this realization led to a purposeful campaign by the johnson white house to publicize wartime progress. In the tet offensive of 1968, viet cong and north vietnamese forces launched. The tet offensive was the real turning point in the vietnam war.
Don oberdorfer was the top flight international and diplomatic correspondent during a most distinguished career, one followed by a lengthy stint in academia and punctuated by three top flight books. The tet offensive showed that johnson and westmoreland were lying about having reached an important point where the end begins to come into. When the tet offensive was launched in january 1968, the goal was to seize nearly every major south vietnamese city, hoping to provoke a general uprising among the population. Even though tet was a disappointing defeat for north vietnam in strictly military terms, it exposed the bankruptcy of u.
The tet offensive, 1968 in late january, 1968, during the lunar new year or tet holiday, north vietnamese and communist viet cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in south vietnam. Following the tet offensive, westmoreland was replaced by general creighton w. This was the start of tet, the vietnamese new year. The tet offensive of early 1968 was a turning point in the u. The vietnam war s tet offensive started 50 years ago on january 30, 1968, with viet cong and north vietnamese forces attacking more than 100 cities, towns and outposts across a broad swath of. While the nva and viet cong suffered a military defeat, they dealt a huge blow to us support for the war. Tet offensive on january 30, 1968, during tet, the vietnamese new year, the vietcong and north vietnamese launched a massive surprise attack.
On february 27, 1968, a few weeks after returning from a reporting trip to vietnam, cronkite famously offered an editorial regarding the war which stated, in part, the bloody experience of vietnam is to end in a stalemate. The us government am military had stated for years the war was almost over. American troops thought they were in the lead and nothing could stop them. How walter cronkites broadcast changed the vietnam war the. During the vietnam war 19591975, the tet offensive in 1968 significantly marked a crucial turning point that led to the deescalation and total withdrawal of us troops from vietnam, just several years later. Jan 26, 2018 americans had been told for years that the war was being won. The tet offensive was a coordinated series of north vietnamese attacks on more than 100 cities and outposts in south vietnam. This was, however, part of a much longer war, which had been rumbling along since the end of the. Attacks began again on the 7th of february and the camp at lang vei was overrun the special forces that fled the scene made their way back to khe sanh. On january 21, 1968, an intense barrage of artillery hit khe sanh. To achieve these objectives, general vo nguyen giap, north vietnam s leading military strategist, was prepared to sacrifice thousands upon thousands of men. The tet offensive was a military campaign during the vietnam war that began on january 31, 1968 by the forces of the national liberation front for south vietnam.
The importance of the vietnam wars tet offensive war on. Rating is available when the video has been rented. The tet offensive vietnam veterans association of australia. The 1968 tet offensive and the epic battle to survive the vietnam war. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Apr 01, 2004 the tet offensive proved to be the turning point of the war, delivering a fatal blow to political support for the war in the united states. What was the significance of the tet offensive and why was it. Asked in vietnam war why after the tet offensive how did the us hope to end the vietnam war. He was assuring the american people that the end was near, that the enemy was. The main communist offensive began on january 30, 1968. The tet offensive thus became the turning point in the vietnam war.
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