What do the words Tet Offensive mean?

Answer 1

Simply imagine, where YOU live for example; fighting erupting in every town (village) and city, almost at the same time, or at least within 24 hours. That was the Tet offensive of '68.

For those people that can't comprehend combat (armed violence) it might be a more understandable example to imagine: A fatal multi-automobile accident occurring on every other block of YOUR home town and YOUR neighboring communities, as well as YOUR neighboring cities within YOUR state or country during the same day and night time period.

It would be an under-statement to call such a scene a nightmare for law enforcement, medical teams, hospitals, insurance companies, not to mention the accident victims themselves. Tet created a similar situation, albeit it was warfare and not a collection of accidents.

Answer 2

TET is the South Vietnamese (Vietnamese today) holiday for the lunar new year, which normally occurs about the end of January each year. "Offensive" in military terms, means an "attack"; the opposite of the term "defense."

Answer 3

Tet is the Vietnamese New Year, and until 1968 they celebrated rather than fought. In 1968, the Vietnamese soldiers went on the offensive on Tet taking our soldiers by surprise and in the process, cutting off some of our outlying posts, and killing a large number of our soldiers. In 1968 alone, the U.S. lost nearly 17,000 and the Tet offensive had set the tone for the year.

Answer 4

The Tet Offensive was the series of surprise attacks on major cities, towns, and military bases all throughout South Vietnam. These were launched by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops.