history

tet offensive-1968 

• surprise attack by vietcong
• tet was a holiday, there had been a ceasefire
• nearly 14,000 US were killed but the offensive was beaten back
• 100 major cities attacked

why the usa failed in vietnam

• Unpopular - TV crews were allowed into vietnam to film the events so audiences saw the horrible images
• There were many US casualties - over 200,000.
• It was a very expensive war. it cost billions.
• Vietcong was much more popular than the americans to the South vietnamese
• Many civilians were killed in the bombing campaign and this made the North Vietnamese more determined
• The Vietcong were skilled in guerilla warfare while the americans werent

guerrila tactics

• ambushing soldier patrols
• booby traps- land mines and explosive traps, spike traps and tripwire traps
• secret roads like the ho chi minh trail and secret tunnels/ underground bases
• not wearing uniform so they blended in with the normal civilians
• staying close to americans so they coundn't use airstrikes without casualties on thier ownside