Tet offensive
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U.S. troops had been in Vietnam for three years before the Tet Offensive occured. Most of the fighting they had seen were small attacks. Although the U.S. had more aircraft, better weapons, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers, they were in a stalemate with the Communist forces in North Vietnam and the Viet Cong forces in South Vietnam.
In 1968 Vo Nguyen Giap, the man controlling North Vietnam's army, believed it was time for the North Vietnamese to make a surprise attack on South Vietnam. After planning with the Viet Cong and moving troops and supplies into position, the Communists made an attack against the American base at Khe Sanh on January 21, 1968.
On January 30, 1968, the Tet Offensive began. Early in the morning, North Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong forces attacked towns and cities in South Vietnam.
The communists attacked one hundred major cities and towns in South Vietnam. The size of the attack surprised the Americans and the South Vietnamese, but they fought back. In some towns and cities communists were killed and defeated quickly. In some places it took just hours to fight them off, but in other places it took weeks.
In terms of military forces and fought battles, the United States won the Tet Offensive and the Communists did not gain control over any part of South Vietnam. The Communist also suffered a big loss. About fourty-five thousand communists were killed. However, the Tet Offensive showed another side of the war to Americans, which they did not like. The surprise attack made American troops realize how strong their enemy really was.
After U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson got the bad news he decided to minimize the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
U.S. troops had been in Vietnam for three years before the Tet Offensive occured. Most of the fighting they had seen were small attacks. Although the U.S. had more aircraft, better weapons, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers, they were in a stalemate with the Communist forces in North Vietnam and the Viet Cong forces in South Vietnam.
In 1968 Vo Nguyen Giap, the man controlling North Vietnam's army, believed it was time for the North Vietnamese to make a surprise attack on South Vietnam. After planning with the Viet Cong and moving troops and supplies into position, the Communists made an attack against the American base at Khe Sanh on January 21, 1968.
On January 30, 1968, the Tet Offensive began. Early in the morning, North Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong forces attacked towns and cities in South Vietnam.
The communists attacked one hundred major cities and towns in South Vietnam. The size of the attack surprised the Americans and the South Vietnamese, but they fought back. In some towns and cities communists were killed and defeated quickly. In some places it took just hours to fight them off, but in other places it took weeks.
In terms of military forces and fought battles, the United States won the Tet Offensive and the Communists did not gain control over any part of South Vietnam. The Communist also suffered a big loss. About fourty-five thousand communists were killed. However, the Tet Offensive showed another side of the war to Americans, which they did not like. The surprise attack made American troops realize how strong their enemy really was.
After U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson got the bad news he decided to minimize the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.