KEY EVENTS OF THE VIETNAM WAR: THE TET OFFENSIVE AND MY LAI MASSACRE Flashcards
Who launched the Tet Offensive?
The Viet Cong
When did the Tet Offensive take place?
January 1968
Why did the Tet Offensive shock America?
The attack revealed the communists’ strength. E.g. Viet Cong attacked over 100 major South Vietnamese cities and American bases. Also, 4,500 Vietcong fighters tied down (forced a group of soldiers to stay in one place) a much larger US and South Vietnamese force in Saigon for 2 days
How many major cities and American bases were taken over by Viet Cong fighters in South Vietnam during the Tet Offensive?
Over 100
How many Viet Cong fighters managed to tie down the US and South Vietnamese army (SVA) in Saigon?
Only 4,500 fighters
Did the Tet Offensive succeed?
No – the Americans and the SVA managed to regain all the towns and bases that had been captured.
How many Viet Cong fighters were killed during the Tet Offensive, in comparison to US / SVA soldiers?
50,000 communist troops were killed, in comparison to 6,000 US / SVA soldiers.
What further evidence is there that the Tet Offensive was not successful?
The Viet Cong lost most of their leaders in the south.
The Viet Cong hoped Tet Offensive would start a revolution in South Vietnam, but South Vietnamese people did not rise up to join them.
How had the American media portrayed the Vietnam war before 1967?
The US media supported the government’s involvement in Vietnam and the coverage of the war was generally positive. Everyone was confident that the US was going to overthrow the communists.
How did the coverage of the Vietnam War in American media change after the Tet Offensive?
The media began to question whether the war was winnable. Questions were raised about how the Viet Cong were able to launch such a major attack.
How many US soldiers were in Vietnam by 1968?
500,000 soldiers
How many US soldiers were dying a week in Vietnam?
300 soldiers
How much was the US spending on the Vietnam War a year?
$20 billion a year
How did President Johnson respond to the Tet Offensive?
He concluded that the war could not be won militarily. As a result, he reduced the bombing campaign against North Vietnam and organised peace negotiations (started in March 1968).
What did Johnson choose not to do after the Tet Offensive?
Johnson decided not to stand for presidential re-election in 1968. During the 1968 election campaign, both Republican and Democrat candidates committed themselves to ending US involvement in Vietnam.
