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North Vietnamese Strategy During the Tet Offensive and Psychological Victory . A David Hommer Production. Key Elements of Thesis. Logistical Planning Pre-Assault Reconnaissance Diversionary Attacks Use Of Mass Media. What Was The Tet Offensive?. General Giap Tet Lunar Holiday
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North Vietnamese Strategy During the Tet Offensiveand Psychological Victory A David Hommer Production
Key Elements of Thesis Logistical Planning Pre-Assault Reconnaissance Diversionary Attacks Use Of Mass Media
What Was The Tet Offensive? General Giap Tet Lunar Holiday Cease-Fire tradition
Tet Offensive Combatants • North Vietnamese troops: 80,000 • Viet Cong southern insurgents total participation: Unknown • American military personnel: 200,000
Beginning of The Tet Offensive • Diversionary attack • Viet Cong disguise Viet Cong sapper attack on the U.S. Embassy at Saigon Great Seal at Embassy Premature Assault
Logistical Planning • Planning began months prior • Ho Chi Minh Trail • North Vietnamese Minister’s Offer • US bombing
Pre-Assault Reconnaissance • Orders of General Giap • Reconnaissance units • Conducted reconnaissance of routes to objectives • Analysis of enemy positions and strength
Diversionary Attacks (KheSanh) • Major battle of the Vietnam War • Westmoreland, final battle in war • 20,000 North Vietnamese, 6,000 US Marines • Main store of ammunition destroyed
Role of American Mass Media • Mass media=Unhappy American public • Riots in America, demonstrations • Made it clear Johnson administration was lying • Mass media sensationalized the fighting • U.S. Secretary Dean Rusk was not pleased
Effects of the Tet Offensive • Effectively ended American escalation in Vietnam • Demonstrated the capability of the North Vietnamese • Role of mass media • Americans began looking for an “exit strategy”
Conclusion • Tet Offensive: military defeat, psychological victory • North Vietnamese strategy • Masterminded by General Vo Nguyen Giap