Tet Offensive

Question 1

When was the Tet Offensive?

Answer 1

January 1968

Question 2

What was the Tet Offensive?

Answer 2

A series of well-coordinated attacks by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong throughout South Vietnam

Question 3

What was the PAVN?

Answer 3

NV army

Question 4

What and when was the first stage of the Tet Offensive?

Answer 4

Late 1967
- PAVN attacks on isolated villages were defeated by Westmoreland’s forces whilst NLF forces infiltrated urban areas

Question 5

Who was Giap?

Answer 5

North Vietnamese army general

Question 6

N.V objectives of Tet

Answer 6

• Lure US troops away from cities into rural areas
• Focus on locations along the S.V Western border
• Open talks with US while Viet Cong and N.V army launched attacks on major cities in south

Question 7

How did N.V trick USA?

Answer 7

Giap surrounded the Khe Sanh Marine base as a diversionary tactic and Johnson who was fearing another Dien Bien Phu ordered the base to be fully secured with B52’s and over 100,000 bombs over a 5 mile area

Question 8

What happened on the 30th Jan 1968?

Answer 8

PLAF and PAVN soldiers attacked 36 of the 44 capitals in the South

Question 9

What happened with the Vietcong and US embassy?

Answer 9

20 guerillas of the VietCong broke into the embassy and fought a 6 hour battle
- All attackers killed but communists forces had entered American-held territory

Question 10

How did the US see the Tet Offensive?
1. Moreland
2. Public

Answer 10

1. As a communist defeat
2. Deep humiliation that the US could suffer such immense damage

Question 11

What was the result of Tet for North Vietnam and why?

Answer 11

• Not a success either
• Attacks not well coordinated in some areas (allowed US to reinforce weak ares)
• ARVN fought bettwe than expected
• Viet Cong didn’t gain as much local support as hoped

Question 12

How many losses did PLAF and PAVN face in Hue during Tet?

Answer 12

5000

Question 13

What did Westmoreland request in March 1968 and why?

Answer 13

Believed the communists were on the political and military defensive and requested 206,000 extra US troops to take advantage of this

Question 14

Who were/led the wise men and what was their advise regarding Westmoreland’s request?

Answer 14

Those who had previously advised escalation
- McGeorge Bundy
- Advised against extra troops as wanted to use their power as a shield rather than offensive

Question 15

How were US troops treated when returning to US?

Answer 15

The public gave the troops an uncomfortable homecoming specifically from anti-war protestors

Question 16

How did media portray Vietnam during Johnson’s administration?

Answer 16

In television drama, they were portrayed as psychotic killers and crazy people with automatic weapons

Question 17

When was the My Lai Massacre?

Answer 17

16 March 1968

Question 18

Overview of My Lai Massacre

Answer 18

• US troops sent to My Lai, a village suspected of harbouring NLF members
• Houses burnt, livestock killed, crops destroyed, wells closed.
• Troops went in shooting. More than 500 innocent villagers murdered

Question 19

Why did Johnson not tun for another term?

Answer 19

• Economic crisis
• Extreme Resentment towards his campaign
• Lost public support

Question 20

Why did Vietnam conflict not end following Johnson?

Answer 20

Paris Peace talks which began in May were stalled and during this month 1800 US soldiers were killed in Vietnam and 18,000 seriously wounded

Question 21

Who was the new S.V president 1965?

Answer 21

Nguyen Cao Ky