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1. Cause-underestimation of the enemy. 2. Consequences-War was unwinnable. Reason war was unwinnable: Without widening the war into the neighboring countries of Laos and Cambodia, which was the communist infiltration routes (Ho Chi Minh Trail specifically); and risking a confrontation with the communist superpowers (Soviet Union & Red China-which DID occur in the Korean War) it was time to either fish or cut bait; we cut bait.
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BlakeThe purpose of the offensive was to create a general uprising within the nation of South Vietnam against the Saigon (South Vietnamese Government) and Allied Forces; which the communists were gambling would be large and strong enough to defeat the combined Saigon/US forces with one massive assault (offensive). In order to conduct such a massive offensive, at a nation wide scale, the communists had to catch the allies by surprise. In order to catch the allies by surprise, the communists had to appear beaten on the battlefields. This was accomplished, when the commander of US Military Forces in Vietnam, General Westmoreland, stated to the President and the news media, that the communists were losing the war. Then came the surprise...the TET offensive of 1968.
General Westmoreland declared that the Tet offensive was a major defeat for the Vietcong. From a military standpoint, he was right. The Vietcong lost about 32,000 soldiers during attacks. The United States and South Vietnam lost only 3,000 soldiers. The Tet offensive shattered America's confidence in the war. The Tet offensive lasted for a month.
The TET offensive was during the Vietnam War. It started on January 31, 1968. Most battles were quickly stopped within a day or two. However, the old Imperial city of Hue was held by communist forces for 22 days.
Some will argue the Tet began on January 21, 1968 when forces of the VC and NVA attacked Khe Sanh. That was a deliberate distraction intended to make US forces concentrate on Khe Sanh while the VC and NVA made final preparations for the actual attack on January 30, 1968 which would involve about 100 cities and military bases.
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What is the name of the offensive that took place during the Vietnamese new year that escalated the Vietnam war?
Tet Offensive
What was the 1968 offensive launched by the North Vietnamese against the South Vietnamese called?
tet offensiveThe 1968 offensive launched by the South Vietnamese was called the Tet offensive. It was called the Tet Offensive because it began in the early morning of 31 January 1968, which is Tết Nguyên Đán, the first day of the year on a traditional lunar calendar and the most significant Vietnamese holiday.
Who Offensive turned public opinion against the Vietnam War?
A percentage said My Lai; a percentage said Tet; by far the largest percentage said the DRAFT! Watching My Lai and Tet on television was one thing. Recieving your draft notice in the mail was quite another!
How did the tet offensive lead to the end of the cold war?
It didn't. The First Tet Offensive demoralized the US and played a large part in our decision to pull out of Vietnam. The weird thing about Tet is, the North Vietnamese actually lost on the battlefield.
Who was president during the Tet Offensive?
Lyndon Baines Johnson.
