tet offensive 1968 Flashcards
How was the war going at the start of 1968 for the US?
The war is going terribly as they were locked in a stalemate, they spent loads of resources + soldiers, failed to destroy the VC.
BUT the aim was to reach a stalemate.
How was the war going at the start of 1968 for the VC?
-Believed they were winning + had to just keep fighting until the US decided to back down
How was the war going at the start of 1968 for the ARVN?
-Going bad as they faced many deaths + casualties, homes were being destroyed + had low morale.
When did it begin?
Jan-Feb 1968
What did the VC do?
-Launched a series of simultaneous military attacks against US targets across SV
-Attacked during Tet as the fighting had died down + wanted to catch them off guard.
What did the VC want to happen from this?
-They wanted to stimulate an uprising from the SV against the US
Why was the Tet offensive a failure for the VC?
-Was a huge military defeat for the VC as they didn’t gain much support from the SV.
-25000 VC were killed + 5000 captured
-The VC as a military organisation had been decimated.
Why was it seen as a failure for the US?
-Was a psychological defeat as it showed the US that a quick end to the war + US victory was far away
-Showed the failures of Johnsons strategies, BUT they had no other choice but to continue escalating the numbers.
Walter Conkrite’s view
-Believed the Tet offensive highlighted how the VN war was reaching a stalemate.
-That instead of fighting the war, the US should find ways to negotiate with the NV
What was the problem with the VC attacks?
-They were taking place from Cambodia, which posed a problem for the US who were unable to enter another country and attack on the claims the VC were there.
-It meant the US were going to have to escalate the conflict further into Laos + Cambodia.
Consequences of the Tet offensive
-March 1968- Johnson had decided to not stand for re-election
-An increase in anti-war demonstrations back home as the Tet Offensive was broadcasted, famous activists speaking against it e.g. Martin Luther King
