Tet Offensive

• Lure US troops away from cities and into rural areas, by diversionary attacks on remote outposts
• focus on locations south of the demilitarized zone and along SV western border 
• Open talks with US as distraction, while People's liberation army and Peoples army of Vietnam launched attacks, at the same time on major cities in SV to encourage/start uprising 

1ST STAGE- Late 1967

• PAVN attacked isolated villages, and were heavily defeated by American forces. Distraction gave opportunity for NLF to infiltrate urban areas
• communist propaganda broaden rift between Saigon and Washington
• Hanoi offer to tallk with US if it stopped bombing North
• Giap besieged Khe Sanh Marine base as diversionary tactic
• Johson feared that may turn into another Dien Bien Phu, ordered base be secured at all costs- OPERATION NIAGARA

2ND STAGE- Tet Lunar New Year 

• Suprise as USA asumed New Year would mean ceasfire
• CIA had uncovered some enemy plans but were convinced Khe Sanh key target and North not capable mounting broad offensive
• 30th Jan 1968 84,000 PLAF and PAVN attacked 36/44 provinces
• Foreward phase in communist military and political strategy, effective inflicting heavy casulties American forces 

• In Saigon 35 battalions attacked Presidential palace, General Staff HQ, and airport
• Meanwhile 20 guerillas from VC broke into US embassy compound
• fought 6 hour battle with US military police
• all attackers killed without entering embassy
• Shock as communist forces had got into heart American held territory

• Judged as military defeat for communists by Westmoreland, but seen by many as psychological defeat for US
•   This was how media portrayed it. American public saw it as humiliating that small  third world nation could mount such a forceful attack on territory defended by US forces
•  Not a success for North either, attack not well co-ordinated some areas, too soon in other areas, allowing US forces to reinforce weak areas
•    ARVN fought better than expected and local people didn’t offer as much support as expected
•  PLAF and PAVN forces suffered heavy losses, 5000 in city of Hue, where communists executed nearly 3000 civilians
•  Bombing so severe 100,000 refugees forced to flee

• March 1968 Westmoreland judged that communists on defensive, requested 206,00 extra troops
• Johnson decided to support demand, even though it ran against swell public opinion
• Clifford (secretary of defence) advised against action, along with several of the 'wise men' that had previously advised escalation
• McGeorge Bundy (special advisor on National security) spokesman for group
• Cabot Lodge advised advised shift from 'search and destroy' to using US military power as a shield
• might allow SV to develop stable society like NV
• agreed time short and USA must begin to take steps to disengage, unable to build independant SV
• only troops required should be in support of those already there

• 16th March 1968
• one of most significant incidents in influencing US public opinion
• men 'C' Company' part major search and destroy offensive to hunt down remnants of NLF battalion
• Village My Lai suspected of habouring them
• troops ordered to burn houses, kill livestock, destroy foodstuffs and close wells
• enetered hamlet at time villagers expected to have left for market so rest would be expected to be NLF or sympathisers
• went in shooting. Those remaining alive shot in a ditch
• 347 unarmed civilians beaten and killed by american soldiers and officers
• women beaten with rifle buts, ***** and shot
• animals shot then dropped in wells to poison water
• 29th March 1971, court martial convicted Lieuenant William Calley of multiple murders, caused split public opinion
• some felt he was scapegoat and higher ranks had avoided responsibility
• given life sentence, appealed, sentence reduced and released on parole after 3 years
• only revealed to public when reported on in New York Times November 1969

• March 1968 President disillusioned and broken
• decided not to stand for re-election
• met Soviet ambassador inform him change US policy in Vietnam
• Troops along DMZ still protected, no further bombing above 20 th parallel
• Felt USSR should use influence for conference to make peace 
• Eugene McCarthy ran for Democratic presidential nomination supported by 'hawks', Bobby Kennedy enticed to stand (anti-war)
• Johnson backed Hubert Humphrey, defeated by Richard Nixon (Republican)
• Nixon promised 'peace with honour'
• voting showed US opinion still divided on whether to continue Vietnam war
• Paris peace talks that began May, soon stalled
• During month 1800 US soldiers killed in Vietnam 18,000 seriously wounded
• 3rd July Westmoreland replaced by General Abrams