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Tet, Turning Point and TV

Tet, Turning Point and TV. OBJ: Analyze the importance of the Tet Offensive and its impact on the US War effort and media relations. TET. Vietnamese Lunar New Year. January 1968. Tet Truce Broken Attack on Marine base at Khe Sahn Is this the big one?. KHE SAHN.

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Tet, Turning Point and TV

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  1. Tet, Turning Point and TV OBJ: Analyze the importance of the Tet Offensive and its impact on the US War effort and media relations.

  2. TET • Vietnamese Lunar New Year

  3. January 1968 • Tet Truce Broken • Attack on Marine base at Khe Sahn • Is this the big one?

  4. KHE SAHN • Major US Marine base in nw corner of SV • 5,000 Marines cut off and surrounded by 10-15,000 NVA

  5. Khe Sahn

  6. Tet Offensive • Coordinated VC attacks on US bases and cities in SV Saigon, Hue, Khe Sahn 36/44 provincial capitals 64 district capitals • Goal of NLF/NVA (Nat’l Liberation Front/N. Vietnamese Army) • Halt bombing/get US to talk peace • Spark uprising throughout SV

  7. Hue • “We had to destroy the town to save it.” • Of 17,134 houses, 9,776 destroyed/3,169 damaged • 26-day effort by the U.S. Marines, U.S. Army and ARVN to recapture the Citadel • Mass graves containing thousands of dead SV found during aftermath – foreshadowing?

  8. Saigon • 3AM Jan 31, 1968 – 19 guerrillas blast hole in US Embassy wall, kill 5 MPs and occupy Embassy grounds • Attack on Saigon Radio Station

  9. The Tet Body Count • 40,000 VC/NVA dead • 1100 Americans/2300 ARVN dead • Saigon, Hue, Khe Sahn and all other places attacked by NVA/VC remain in US/ARVN hands • Who won?

  10. Public Opinion Indicator Pre-TET Post-TET Change • Approves Johnson's handling of job as president 48% 36% -12 • Approves Johnson's handling of Vietnam 39% 26% -13 Source: The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion 1935–1971, by George H. Gallup

  11. Big Questions • If Tet is a turning point, and reveals a credibility gap, why do US soldiers continue to fight in SV until 1973? • Did the media lose the war? • How did a military victory lead to a drop in support for the war?

  12. Does news shape public opinion or reflect it?What is the purpose of “the news” and what factors go into deciding what gets on/in the news?Did the media contribute to the American loss in Vietnam or did they repeat the military/political perspective on the war?

  13. War on TV • Footage of US casualties, deaths • Cronkite on Vietnam • Role of Cronkite – “The most trusted man in America” • Cronkite – “We are mired in stalemate.” • LBJ – “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost America.”

  14. Aftermath of Tet • U.S. military victory • VC exposed and beaten – VC is done 40,000 NLF/NVA dead – 3500 US/SV • U.S. political disaster • Credibility gap • Where’s the light at the end of the tunnel? • I thought we held the cities?

  15. Individual Aftermath of Tet • Eugene McCarthy emerges as peace candidate for Democratic nomination • McCarthy has good showing in NH primary • LBJ refuses to run for re-election • 3/31/68 “I shall not seek, and I will not accept my party’s nomination for another term as your president.” • RFK enters race • New Sec Def Clark Clifford left to deal with aftermath • Westmoreland out as Commander of MACV

  16. Big Questions • If Tet is a turning point, and reveals a credibility gap, why do US soldiers continue to fight in SV until 1973? • Did the media lose the war? • How did a military victory lead to a drop in support for the war?

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