What was the Tet Offensive?

The Tet Offensive was a major attack that was launched by the United States’ enemies in the Vietnam War.  This offensive happened early in 1968.  It was one of the major events that helped reduce American support for the war.

By 1968, the US was fighting against the Viet Cong (communist insurgents in South Vietnam) and against the military of communist North Vietnam.  The US had been heavily involved in the war since 1964 and Americans wanted results.  The government assured the public that the US was close to victory in Vietnam.

In Vietnam, people celebrate the lunar new year (as Chinese do) rather than the solar New Year like Americans do.  Tet is the Vietnamese word that refers to the lunar New Year festival.  It is the biggest festival of the year.  During Tet of 1968, the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese launched a series of coordinated attacks around the country.  The attacks were successful at first, but the US and the South Vietnamese eventually beat them back, regaining all lost territory and inflicting huge losses on the enemy.

However, the offensive made it clear that the US was not as close to victory as the government had claimed it was.  As the American public watched coverage of the Tet Offensive, they came to realize this and more Americans turned against the government’s policy.  This helped reduce American support for the Vietnam War and it led directly to President Johnson’s decision not to run for reelection in 1968.  Thus, the Tet Offensive was one of the most important events of the Vietnam War.