the tet offensive?

Question

can someone explain this?

Answer 1

The Tết Offensive (January 30, 1968 - June 8, 1969) was a series of operational offensives during the Vietnam War, coordinated between battalion strength elements of the National Liberation Front's People's Liberation Armed Forces (PLAF or Viet Cong) and divisional strength elements of the North Vietnam's People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), against South Vietnam's Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), and United States military and other ARVN-allied forces. The operations are called the Tết Offensive as they were timed to begin on the night of January 30–31, 1968, Tết Nguyên Đán (the lunar new year day). The offensive began spectacularly during celebrations of the Lunar New Year, and sporadic operations associated with the offensive continued into 1969.

The Tết Offensive can be considered a crushing military defeat for the Communist forces, as neither the Viet Cong nor the North Vietnamese army achieved any of their tactical goals. Furthermore, the operational cost of the offensive was dangerously high, with the Viet Cong essentially crippled by the huge losses inflicted by American and South Vietnamese forces. Nevertheless, the Offensive is widely considered a turning point of the war in Vietnam, with the NLF and PAVN winning an enormous psychological and propaganda victory. Although US public opinion polls continued to show a majority supporting involvement in the war, this support continued to deteriorate and the nation became increasingly polarized over the war. [1] President Lyndon Johnson saw his popularity fall sharply after the Offensive, and he withdrew as a candidate for re-election in March of 1968. The Tết Offensive is frequently seen as an example of the value of propaganda, media influence and popular opinion in the pursuit of military objectives.

Answer 2

US thought the North Vietnamese would take a break during thier holiday (Tet) which is the New Year. The North Vietnamese took advantage by attacking numerous bases at once. The North Vietnamese did not have any victorious attacks that day, but many US soldiers Died and the incident was a turning point in the war.

We did not realize the North could even pull off such a coordinated attack.

My father was buried alive during the TET offensive.

Answer 3

okay, harking back to my memory from a month ago, the Tet is the Vietnamese New Year (lunar calandar), and an unofficial cease-fire was called, because during this time, both North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese traveled around Vietnam to visit relatives. In 1968, during the Tet holiday, there was a surprise attack on the South Vietnam Army and the U.S. Army carried out by the NVA and VC forces. This took the Americans by surprise. that's a really short description.

Answer 4

The wikipedia answer is very accurate...but I found it a difficult read...go with the short version. Just remember, no real victory...lots of deaths...a cowardly Communist sneak attack...