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40th anniversary of Tet Offensive marked

Just over 40 years ago, on Jan. 30, 1968, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched a series of widespread and coordinated attacks against U.S. and allied forces in South Vietnam.

The assault coincided with Tet, the beginning of the lunar year and an important holiday in Vietnam. Although U.S. and South Vietnamese troops held fast against the attacks and inflicted massive casualties, what amounted to a military victory on the battlefield became, in some respects, a defeat for U.S. political goals. Public opinion in the U.S., already beginning to turn against the war, looked at Tet as evidence that U.S. participation in Vietnam was too costly.

DISCUSS: This anniversary and Vietnam War

The intent of the North Vietnamese and their Viet Cong allies was to crush the Army of (South) Vietnam, the ARVN, and trigger a popular uprising among the civilian population against the South Vietnamese government. To achieve these goals, the enemy attacked five major cities, 36 provincial capitals and 64 district capitals. Additionally, they attacked numerous hamlets and the Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon. Finally, in an attempt to deliver a decisive psychological blow, the enemy attacked — and penetrated — the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.

U.S. troops at Tan Son Nhut withstood the attack but did so in an extraordinary reversal of roles: Most of the ground troops were Air Force and most of the air cover was provided by the Army.

The enemy had deceitfully agreed with the South Vietnamese to a cease-fire to celebrate Tet. Although U.S. military intelligence discerned that an attack might occur, the information was ignored for three reasons. First, the Americans believed that the enemy would not violate the cease-fire. Second, senior U.S. commanders did not think that the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong were capable of launching major combat operations. Third, the Army and Marines were preoccupied with the ongoing siege at Khe Sanh, which had started Jan. 21 and would last 77 days.

Although there was hard fighting, American and South Vietnamese forces quickly repelled enemy troops from the cities. The only exception was the ancient city of Hue, which was not liberated until Feb. 25. When U.S. and South Vietnamese finally retook that city, they discovered 5,800 civilians dead — many of whom had been brutally executed by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong.

While enemy losses will never be known for certain, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong casualties are thought to have been about 52,000. American, South Korean, New Zealand and Australian forces had about 6,300 killed and some 20,000 wounded in action. The South Vietnamese had about 11,600 casualties.

There is no doubt that Tet was a decisive military defeat for the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. But, as President Lyndon B. Johnson had been insisting in public statements that the enemy was incapable of launching major attacks, Tet had a far-reaching impact on both the Johnson administration and American public opinion. After Tet, more and more Americans turned against the war and Johnson refused to increase the troop levels sought by Gen. William C. Westmoreland at Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Most historians believe that Tet played a significant role in Johnson’s March 31 announcement on national television that there would be a partial bombing halt and that he would not seek re-election in November 1968.

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Fred L. Borch retired from the Army after 25 years and is now working as the Regimental historian for the Army JAG Corps. He is the author of “The Silver Star,” a history of America’s third highest award for combat heroism. His email address is borchfj@aol.com. Robert F. Dorr, an Air Force veteran, lives in Oakton, Va. He is the author of “Air Combat,” a history of fighter pilots. His e-mail address is robert.f.dorr@cox.net.

DISCUSS: The anniversary and the Vietnam War