1. Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive

2. 1967 -- Khe Sanh Where is it? – Fortified American base near the DMZ and (more importantly) the Ho Chi Minh Trail In 1967, Vietminh forces launch a major attack on Khe Sanh – Kinda weird, right? Why? – Seems like a conventional attack What does it remind American political/military advisors of? – Dien. – Bien. – Phu.

3. Khe Sanh (continued) LBJ vows to hold it at all costs – he does – 10-15 thousand VC die in the attack compared to 250 Americans Westmoreland calls it the biggest victory of the war… but – …he’s wrong… – In actuality, the Vietminh just sacrificed thousands of men as a distraction

4. The Tet Offensive What is Tet? – New Years Holiday – Compared by Westerners to ‘Christmas, Easter, and New Years rolled into one’ What was the Tet Offensive? – A surprise attack by Vietcong and Vietminh across Southern Vietnam aimed at population centers – Ho Chi Minh’s goal  spark an uprising of the southern population

5. 70,000 VC and NVA launch massive attacks Temporarily take the U.S. embassy in Saigon Seize the main Saigon radio station Attacked more than 100 towns

6. The City of Hue was the Hardest Hit in the Tet Offensive Seat of the Old Imperial Government Very beautiful Whole city fell for a month to the VC and NVA To retake the city, Americans shell the crap out of it – “We had to destroy the city to save it.”

7. So- Who won? U.S. Tactical Victory but Strategic Defeat or Military Victory, but Public Relations Defeat

8. Why? Remember, Westmoreland had just promised that there was a ‘light at the end of the tunnel.” Doesn’t seem like it to Americans watching the U.S. shoot it out in the U.S. embassy in Saigon – First ‘Television War’ Irony- the VC were disastrously weakened by Tet. Why? – VC had come out of their guerrilla tactics. – Population had not risen up.

9. Casualty Estimates (Warning  Wikipedia!) U.S.  22,000 ARVN  22,000 Vietcong/Vietminh  116,000

10. HansenName ___________________ Vietnam Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive Note-taking Guide 1967 Khe Sanh –Where is it? Fortified American base near ____________ and (more importantly) the _________________ –In 1967, Vietminh forces launch a ____________ on Khe Sanh Kinda weird, right? Why? Seems like a ___________________________ –What does it remind American political/military advisors of? _____. –LBJ vows to ______________________________ ________________ ____________________VC die in the attack compared to _________ Americans –Westmoreland calls it the ____________________ __________________… but …________________… In actuality, the Vietminh just sacrificed thousands of _______________________________ The Tet Offensive –What is Tet? ___________________________ Compared by Westerners to ___________________________________ ______________________________________ –What was the ____________________? –_________________________ by Vietcong and Vietminh across Southern Vietnam aimed at_________ ________________________________ –Ho Chi Minh’s goal  ________________________ _________________________________________ –____________________ launch massive attacks –Temporarily take the ____________________________ ________________________ –Seize the main ____________________________ –Attacked more than _________________ Hue- ___________________________ –Seat of the __________________________________ –Very beautiful –Whole city fell for _____________ to the VC and NVA –To retake the city, Americans shell the crap out of it ___________________________________________ So Who Won? –U.S. ____________Victory but ___________Defeat or _____________Victory, but ________________Defeat –Why? Remember, Westmoreland had just promised that there was a____________________________________ _____________________________________________ –Doesn’t seem like it to ________________________________ the U.S. shoot it out in the U.S. embassy in Saigon First ________________________________’ –Irony- the VC ____________________________ _____________________________________. Why? VC had come out of their __________________ ________________________. Population had ________________________. Casualty Estimates (Warning  Wikipedia!) –U.S. _________________ –ARVN _______________ –Vietminh/VC ________________________