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Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive

Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive. 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

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Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive

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  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. 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 ________________________ Hansen Name ___________________Vietnam Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive Note-taking Guide

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