The Tet Offensive 1968The Tet Offensive 1968

The Turning Point of the war in Vietnam

‘The end of getting in, and the beginning of

getting out’

The Turning Point of the war in Vietnam

‘The end of getting in, and the beginning of

getting out’

What can you learn from source A about the reasons for American involvement in Vietnam? (3 Marks)

What can you learn from source A about the reasons for American involvement in Vietnam? (3 Marks)

Up to 1968Up to 1968

• JFK to Johnson-Americanization and Escalation

• Gulf of Tonkin incident / resolution• US fighting directly against the

NVA / Vietcong• By 1968 over 500,000 US

troops in Vietnam

• JFK to Johnson-Americanization and Escalation

• Gulf of Tonkin incident / resolution• US fighting directly against the

NVA / Vietcong• By 1968 over 500,000 US

troops in Vietnam

What was the Tet Offensive?What was the Tet Offensive?• During the lunar new year

celebrations of January 1968 (The ‘Tet’ festival) the NVA and the Vietcong launched surprise attacks on South Vietnamese cities and US military bases. In Saigon even the US embassy came under attack from Communist forces.

• During the lunar new year celebrations of January 1968 (The ‘Tet’ festival) the NVA and the Vietcong launched surprise attacks on South Vietnamese cities and US military bases. In Saigon even the US embassy came under attack from Communist forces.

Why was the Tet Offensive important?Why was the Tet Offensive important?• Up to this point Communist forces had tended to use guerrilla

tactics- the offensive exposed the Communists directly to enemy fire.

• American press up to this point had reported that the war was nearly won- now it was seen as if the US army was losing or fighting a war that could not be won.

• Convinced many in the US that the war had to be ended quickly.• Also was a turning point for the Vietcong- suffered huge

casualties- NVA took on the major fighting after this.• Forced the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table- peace

talks began.• Contributed to the development of the Peace movement in the

US.• Contributed to the LBJ’s decision to not seek re-election.

• Up to this point Communist forces had tended to use guerrilla tactics- the offensive exposed the Communists directly to enemy fire.

• American press up to this point had reported that the war was nearly won- now it was seen as if the US army was losing or fighting a war that could not be won.

• Convinced many in the US that the war had to be ended quickly.• Also was a turning point for the Vietcong- suffered huge

casualties- NVA took on the major fighting after this.• Forced the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table- peace

talks began.• Contributed to the development of the Peace movement in the

US.• Contributed to the LBJ’s decision to not seek re-election.

• http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=q1vJqTN-qVI&feature=related

• http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=q1vJqTN-qVI&feature=related