The Tet Offensive

What was the Tet Offensive?

A major offensive launched by the Communists

When was the Tet Offensive?

1968

Describe what the Viet Cong did

Attacked over 100 cities and other military targets, including US embassy in Saigon

How many Viet Cong fighters were involved?

4500

What was the result of the Tet Offensive?

A much larger US force was tied down and they had to fight room by room to gain control of the US embassy

Communist casualties

45,000 as well as 7000 prisoners

US and S Vietnamese casualties

6000

Why was the Tet Offensive considered to be a disaster for the Communists?

They had hoped people in S Vietnam would rise up and join them, but they didn't

They lost about 10,000 experienced fighters and so were badly weakened

What was the US's response to the Tet Offensive?

They managed to reclaim captured towns at the expense of huge amounts of artillery and air power and civilians

Hue was destroyed

Significance of the Tet Offensive

Made Americans question whether fighting in Vietnam was such a good idea after all

Introduction of media so US civilians could see the destruction of Vietnam at home and the fact that it obviously wasn't a matter of one side clearly winning. It was beginning to feel as though it would go on forever