918 Chapter 29

(below right) A U.S. tank rolls into Saigon during the Tet Offensive.

Tet Offensive January 30 and 31, 1968

Connect Geography History1. Human-Environment Interaction How did the Ho

Chi Minh Trail make the Tet offensive possible?

2. Make Inferences What does the number and location of attacks suggest about South Vietnam’s security?

American Strategies One of the strengths of the Viet Cong was their ability to hide in the jungle and in underground tunnels. To reveal and destroy Viet Cong hideouts, American troops used chemicals that ruined the landscape. Over wide areas, U.S. planes dropped bombs of napalmnapalm, jellied gasoline that burns violently. Planes also sprayed Agent OrangeAgent Orange, a chemical that kills plants, over the jungles.

Such chemicals helped destroy the hideouts and food supplies of the Viet Cong. But in the process, they also harmed innocent Vietnamese villagers. Later, people learned that Agent Orange harmed U.S. soldiers as well. Veter-ans exposed to it have suffered from skin diseases and cancers.

Search-and-destroy missions were another American war tactic that terror-ized Vietnamese villagers. In such missions, soldiers hunted Viet Cong and burned or bombed villages thought to be sheltering them.

These destructive methods defeated the purpose of “winning the hearts and minds” of the villagers and turning them against communism. Even if the tactics did clear a village of Viet Cong temporarily, the Viet Cong usually returned later.

SUMMARIZE Describe how the U.S. forces tried to defeat the Viet Cong.

Tet: A Turning PointKEY QUESTION How did the Tet offensive affect the course of the war?

By the end of 1967, neither side was close to victory. Despite this stalemate, U.S. military officials claimed that they would soon win the war. Then an unexpected turn of events changed the situation completely.

Answer: The U.S. troops used chemicals that destroyed the landscape; conducting search-and-destroy missions to root out Viet Cong fi ghters; and destroyed pro-Communist villages.

See margin.

918 • Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29 • SECTION 2

DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION: TIERED ACTIVITIES

What were the causes and effects of the Vietnam War?

Ask students what they have learned so far that can help them answer this question. Students might mention:

• After U.S. ships were fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Congress authorized the president to bomb North Vietnam and send in combat ground troops.

• A poor nation with guerrilla soldiers fought off the United States, even though that country had greater wealth and more weapons.

• The Tet offensive in 1968 led many U.S. citizens to question the war.

CONNECT to the Essential Question

OBJECTIVE Analyze key events related to the Vietmam War.

Basic

Have students create a chart on the board that lists the following events and dates:

• 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

• 1965–1968 Large increases in U.S. troops

• 1965–1968 Use of napalm and Agent Orange

• 1968 Tet offensive

On Level

Have students write short narrative descriptions of each of the events on the chart. Descriptions should explain what happened and why.

Challenge

Have students describe the effects of the events listed. Effects should include effects on the war itself, the Vietnamese people, and Americans.

Teach Tet: A Turning Point

Reader, Recorder, Reporter• What advantages did the Communists gain by

attacking on a holiday? (No one expected it then; streets were crowded and soldiers dressed in civilian clothes could not be distinguished from other civilians.)

• Summarize Why were some Americans losing faith in government predictions? (They heard that victory was near, but military defeats kept mounting.)

Tet OffensiveJanuary 30 and 31, 1968

Connect Geography History

DRAW CONCLUSIONS Point out that battles occurred throughout South Vietnam, not just near the DMZ.

ANSWERS

1. Human-Environment InteractionIt allowed soldiers and supplies to move into South Vietnam.

2. Make Inferences It suggests that South Vietnam was not secure at the time.

The Vietnam War Years 919

The Tet Surprise On January 30 and 31, 1968, the Communists launchedthe Tet offensiveTet offensive. This was a surprise attack on U.S. military bases and morethan 100 cities and towns in South Vietnam. It came during Tet, the Viet-namese celebration of the lunar new year.

In preparation for the offensive, the Viet Cong smuggled weapons intoSouth Vietnamese cities. Soldiers dressed in civilian clothes entered the citieson buses, on motorcycles, and on foot. No one could tell them apart fromthe war refugees fleeing the countryside or visitors coming for the holiday.

The Viet Cong fought to take over the cities during the offensive. Theykilled not only enemy soldiers but also government officials, schoolteachers,doctors, and priests. The Tet offensive was a military defeat for the Com-munists. They gained no cities and lost 45,000 soldiers.

U.S. Doubts Grow But the attack stunned Americans. General Westmo-reland had recently suggested that victory was in sight. The Tet offensiveraised doubts that this was true. A “credibility gap” was growing between thegovernment’s claims and what the public saw was really happening.

Tet also made many people in the United States question the wisdom ofthe U.S. mission in Vietnam. To retake some cities, troops had to almost levelthem with bombing. Speaking of the city of Ben Tre, a U.S. major said, “Itbecame necessary to destroy the town in order to save it.” The quote spokefor what many considered the senselessness of the war, and it motivatedsome U.S. citizens, especially young people, to publicly protest the war.

RECOGNIZE EFFECTS Explain how the Tet offensive changed the course ofthe war.

Politics and WarfareTet is a good exampleof how guerrilla warfaredefies conventionalmilitary logic. By anymilitary standards, Tet wasa devastating defeat forthe North Vietnamese. Butthe war was waged onpolitical as well as militaryfronts. Consequently, West-moreland lost the publicrelations battle over Tet.

Connecting History

ONLINE QUIZFor test practice, go toInteractive Review @ ClassZone.com

TERMS & NAMES1. Explain the importance of

• guerrilla warfare • William Westmoreland• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Tet offensive• escalation

USING YOUR READING NOTES2. Summarize Complete the diagram you started at

the beginning of this section.

KEY IDEAS3. What made fighting the war so frustrating for

American soldiers?

4. Why did the Tet offensive make Americans doubt theycould win the war?

CRITICAL THINKING5. Analyze Point of View Were the Viet Cong right

to see the Americans “merely as successors to theFrench”? Why or why not?

6. Compare and Contrast Compare and contrast theAmerican and Viet Cong approaches to fighting thewar.

7. Draw Conclusions How was the Tet offensive asuccess for the Viet Cong, even though they lost manyfighters and gained no cities?

8. Writing Letter Imagine that you are anAmerican soldier serving in Vietnam. Write a briefletter to your family describing your experiences.

Viet Cong U.S.

Tacticssurpriseattacks

large-scalebombing

Weapons

Answer: U.S. offi cialswere saying that the warwas almost over, butthe fact that the NorthVietnamese could launchsuch a large-scale attackmade Americans doubtthe war could be won.

Section Assessment2

Teacher’s Edition • 919

CHAPTER 29 • SECTION 2

SECTION ASSESSMENT ANSWERS22

4 Assess & ReteachAssess Have students complete the Section Assessment.

Unit 10 Resource Book• Section Quiz, p. 122

Interactive Review @ ClassZone.com

Power Presentations

Test Generator

Reteach Write each of the 3 main headings on the board. Ask the class to provide bullets points under each heading and then explain each point orally.

Unit 10 Resource Book• Reteaching Activity, p. 126

Terms & Names1. guerrilla warfare, p. 915; Gulf of Tonkin

Resolution, p. 916; escalation, p. 916; William Westmoreland, p. 916; Tet offensive, p. 919

Using Your Reading Notes2. Viet Cong: ambushes—land mines, booby

traps, tunnels, grenades; United States: bombing—from air, chemicals, destroying villages

Key Ideas3. Possible Answer: The United States did not

commit all resources to the war because of fear of a war with China.

4. They thought victory was close, but the Tet offensive showed the strength and persistence of Vietnamese fighters.

Critical Thinking5. Yes—they occupied the country and controlled

the government; No—they may not have exploited Vietnam in the same way.

6. America used tanks and planes and standard methods; the Viet Cong used guerrilla methods, attacking at night or from caves.

7. It made United States wonder if it could win the war and showed that the Viet Cong could stage major surprise attacks.

8. Letters should show an understanding of the problems and frustrations that U.S. soldiers faced. Use the rubric to score students’ letters.

Letter Rubric

Content Accuracy

4 excellent; addresses all or most important points

no errors

3 good; addresses some important points

few/minor errors

2 fair; addresses few important points

several errors

1 poor; addresses no important points

many errors

Connecting History

Politics and Warfare

In previous years, U.S. and Viet Cong forces had agreed on a short truce to allow Vietnamese people to celebrate one of their important holidays. After announcing the truce in 1968, Communist forces then attacked throughout South Vietnam. Many Americans were stunned because of previous military announcements, which minimized opposing forces and enhanced U.S. victories. They then doubted that Communist forces had suffered a military defeat during Tet and that their forces had been significantly weakened. Then Gen. Westmoreland again requested over 200,000 more troops. This request increased the skepticism of the American people.