Tet Offensive Begins: Viet Cong Launch Surprise Attacks
Saigon woke up under siege. 84,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops exploded across South Vietnam simultaneously, striking more than 100 towns and cities. And they did it during Tet, the lunar new year holiday—when everyone was celebrating, guards were down, and soldiers were on leave. The attacks shocked American military leadership, who'd been claiming the war was nearly won. But the Viet Cong didn't capture their strategic targets. Instead, they delivered a psychological blow that would unravel U.S. public support for the war, turning American opinion decisively against the conflict.
January 30, 1968
58 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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