View
32
Download
0
Category
Tags:
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
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. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Citation preview
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
NVA forces attacked city
Siege lasted about 1 week.
After about 1 week, the Marines were back in control of Saigon.
Hue
Jan 31- April 8, 1968
Former Provincial capital of Vietnam
The situation in 1968…
US troops were not allowed in the city. ARVN troops were supposedly in control.
The Citadel
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.
The Battle for Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh is located in the hills near the DMZ
January 21, 1968
VC and NVA hoped the early strike at Khe Sanh would distract the US.
Johnson feared it would be another Dien Bien Phu
Marines hold on
5,000 Marines were able to hold off 40,000 NVA/C
The fighting is fierce and re-supply is difficult.
The body count
US: 300 dead
US: 1400 wounded
NVA: 10-15,000 dead (estimate)
Fall out from the TET Offensive
The media…if we were winning, why were there 150 attacks at the same time?
Images like this shocked Americans
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.
March, 1968
After a narrow primary victory over McCarthy, LBJ decides not to seek re-election.
Recommended