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The Tet Offensive

The Tet Offensive. The Turning Point of the War Jan-April 1968. General Westmoreland. US has more than 500,000 troops in Vietnam “Light at the end of the tunnel”. January 31, 1968. 80,000 NVA launch attacks on 150 targets in South Vietnam. 3 Major battles for the US. Saigon.

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The Tet Offensive

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  1. The Tet Offensive The Turning Point of the War Jan-April 1968

  2. General Westmoreland • US has more than 500,000 troops in Vietnam • “Light at the end of the tunnel”

  3. January 31, 1968 • 80,000 NVA launch attacks on 150 targets in South Vietnam

  4. 3 Major battles for the US

  5. Saigon • NVA forces attacked city • Siege lasted about 1 week.

  6. After about 1 week, the Marines were back in control of Saigon.

  7. Hue • Jan 31- April 8, 1968 • Former Provincial capital of Vietnam

  8. The situation in 1968… • US troops were not allowed in the city. ARVN troops were supposedly in control.

  9. The Citadel

  10. The Marines are victorious • 142 Marines killed and 857 wounded, • 74 U.S. Army killed and 507 wounded. • South Vietnamese suffer 384 killed and 1830 wounded. • NVA killed are estimated at over 5000.

  11. The Battle for Khe Sanh • Khe Sanh is located in the hills near the DMZ

  12. January 21, 1968 • VC and NVA hoped the early strike at Khe Sanh would distract the US.

  13. Johnson feared it would be another Dien Bien Phu

  14. Marines hold on • 5,000 Marines were able to hold off 40,000 NVA/C • The fighting is fierce and re-supply is difficult.

  15. The body count • US: 300 dead • US: 1400 wounded • NVA: 10-15,000 dead (estimate)

  16. Fall out from the TET Offensive • The media…if we were winning, why were there 150 attacks at the same time?

  17. Images like this shocked Americans

  18. Walter Cronkite • "the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate." • Reporting like this created the belief that we were losing the war.

  19. March, 1968 • After a narrow primary victory over McCarthy, LBJ decides not to seek re-election.

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