In response to communism spreading into southern Asia, and with the fear of the "Domino Effect", which was the conclusion that if one country decides to be communist the others nearby would follow suit, the USA would soon intervene and begin the Vietnam War. As fighting ensued in South Vietnam, even though this would be controversial to the American public, a pivotal point would come to impact the state of the war and that would soon be called The Tet Offensive. The Tet Offensive would turn out to be the largest military operation in the war which took place in large parts of the southern region, involving sone cities. During this time was a holiday event that was celebrated by the Vietnamese, which ended up in the creation of a small-time armistice. This event being the Vietnamese New Year. However, the frustration of Ho Chi Minh and his military generals over the brutal turnout of this war would begin the Tet Offensive; involving a surprise attack onto the entire southern region, catching the U.S. and the South Vietnamese off-guard.
Pushing away their influence and the re-taking control of lost ground, this event would end up investing a large amount of time to take back their areas and spurred even more controversy over whether or not this war would be won easily back in the States and how much more fighting was needed to win a war that the American public did not need. This was the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War, even though the U.S. and the South Vietnamese took it back and kept fighting, it showed that the war was far from over despite the predictions of the politicians stating that the war is going to be easily won.
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| The Scale of the Operation |
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/tet
I had heard about the Tet Offensive before this exercise however I was unaware of the fact that more North Vietnamese troops were killed during the battle than American soldiers. Strictly speaking in terms of body counts as General Westmoreland would have done the U.S. was victorious, however that was not the case at all.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the Japanese were trying a similar tactic when they attack Pearl Harbor on a Sunday during World War II. An attempt at surprise with an intended, unsuccessful, devastating blow.
ReplyDeleteSome of this stuff that they did is unbelievable. I could never imagine making decisions they way that they had to or living through what they have lived through. They were never safe, even when they thought that they were.
ReplyDeleteEven though it breaks the cardinal rule of warfare (an armistice) If you think about it, it's the best time to truly surprise your enemy.
ReplyDeleteI'll give the north Vietnamese credit that this was a stroke of military genious. I also see it though as them being desperate to grab any opportunity they could figure to get the upper hand on the Americans
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