Both the U.S. and South Vietnamese military suffered substantial losses before successfully repelling the communist intrusion. The Tet Offensive played a pivotal role in undermining public support for the Vietnam War in the United States.
This unforeseen series of attacks took place during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year festival, catching many South Vietnamese troops off guard while they were on holiday. The initial phase unfolded on January 30 and 31, with NLF forces simultaneously targeting various locations, mainly in populated areas and regions with a significant U.S. military presence. The National Liberation Front (NLF), a coalition of front groups, sympathizers, and allies organized by North Vietnam, conducted the insurgency in South Vietnam.
Cities like Saigon and Hue witnessed partial control being seized by the NLF, achieving notable success in Vietnam's historic capital, Hue. In a bold move, one group breached the walls surrounding the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.
The attacks on major cities, especially Hue and Saigon, had a profound psychological impact, challenging the previous claims by the Johnson Administration regarding the weakness of NLF forces.
Despite the Tet Offensive concluding in early April 1968 as a military setback for the communists, they were unable to retain any captured territory. The southern infrastructure of the Viet Cong suffered severe damage, the South Vietnamese population resisted adopting the ideals of the north, and a significant number of enemy fighters perished.
Effectively, the Tet Offensive marked the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War. Although seven more years of conflict unfolded before an official resolution, the northern attack acted as the catalyst for subsequent negotiations.
Tet Offensive Impact
