1968 Pivotal Year

The Tet Offensive had a major impact upon the outcome of the Second Indochina War, particularly due to the fact that it powerfully swayed public opinion in America of the Vietnam War. The American publics' option of the Vietnam War beforehand had been strongly leaning toward their involvement in favor of conscription. However after the devastating loss of the Tet offensive much exposure was not put onto the war effort and the losses incurred. Many stated that Tet was fruitless and futile, this is also partly due to the fact that there had been increased opposition to the use of conscription in the American mainstream media.

On January 30th 1968 over 80,000 Vietcong soldiers launched a surprise attack on over 100 towns and cities in South Vietnam. This is known as the Tet Offensive. The US army and South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) launched a counter-attack which regained all lost territory and crippled the military capabilities of the Vietcong. Some historians argue Tet was not as important as it appears to be. However, it is widely considered to be a pivotal turning point in the Vietnam War, causing the US military to change strategy to Vietnamisation, turning US public opinion against the war, and resulting in President Johnson not standing for re-election. It it provided a catalyst

The Tet Offensive could be described as a key turning point because it made the USA become reluctant to increase their involvement in the war. During the Tet

The increasing number of troops and military efforts involved with Vietnam and the seemingly optimistic reports reported by the government were the primary factors that caused the Tet Offensive and Counteroffensive. The American government had become increasingly involved with the Vietnam war. From 1965 to 1967, over 400,000 soldiers were sent to help the South Vietnamese forces. This massive increase in the amount of soldiers was frustrating to the American people. Johnson’s approval rating fell to a mere 40%, half of what it had been in 1965.  (“Vietnam War (1959-1975)” ; Axelrod 1). When the American soldiers returned home from Vietnam, it was often heard that they were spit on, and

During the 1960s our nation was going through many important and crucial events. From the Vietnam War to national politics, and even civil rights, our country was changing a lot. In particular, the year 1968, was when our country went through a major turning point, especially when you take in consideration the major events that involved the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement such as the “Tet Offense”, violent protests, and the Civil Rights Act being passed.

Election of 1968, It was 1968 and LBJ just announced that he would no longer run for President. Suddenly the Democratic party had to move things around and come up with a new representative for them. They found Robert Kennedy, he was loved by everyone and became the frontrunner of

During the 1960s our nation was going through many important and crucial events. From the Vietnam War, to national politics, and even civil rights, our country was changing a lot. In particular the year 1968 was a year that was filled with change, conflict, and turmoil. With events such as the assassinations of prominent political and social leaders within the United States such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy to the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, and everything else in between, 1968 proved to be a very challenging year for America. The events of 1968 didn’t only impact the period of time that they occurred in but they continue to influence society today.

Then, on January 31, 1968, the North Vietnamese Army, supported by the Vietcong, launched the Tet Offensive, a series of surprise attacks on cities and towns throughout South Vietnam. Militarily, American forces repelled the attacks and retook the cities initially occupied by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. However, television portrayed the attack as an appalling defeat for the United States. In addition, the Tet Offensive made the brutality of the war very visible to Americans as the viewing public watched graphic footage of a prisoner being shot through the head by a South Vietnamese general.

In the duration of one year, 1968, the American national mood shifted from general confidence and optimism to chaotic confusion. Certainly the most turbulent twelve months of the post-WWII period and arguably one of the most disturbing episodes the country has endured since the Civil War, 1968 offers the world a glimpse into the tumultuous workings of a revolution. Although the entire epoch of the 1960's remains significant in US history, 1968 stands alone as the pivotal year of the decade; it was the moment when all of the nation's urges toward violence, sublimity, diversity, and disorder peaked to produce a transformation great enough to blanket an entire society. While some may superficially disagree, the evidence found in the Tet

The Tet Offensive Intelligence Failure in War, written in 1991, James J. Wirtz argues, that Tet was unsuccessful because it failed to achieve its main goal which was to put an end to the war under communists terms. However, the communists had not for seen the reaction it would have especially how it would lead to the failure of U.S. policies in South Vietnam. Indeed, Tet had essential positive effects for Hanoi as it revealed that the immense U.S. military presence had not been able to stop the North Vietnamese Army infiltration into the South. Wirtz claims that the communist offensive was both a dismal military failure and a brilliant political success. Richard Betts agrees with Wirtz’s claim that, “Tet did not end the

Although these were not the only momentous events that transpired during 1968, these three events contributed the most to the increase of turbulence throughout the United States of America.

The unrest of the 1960s reached a boiling point in 1968, a year that can be considered the most turbulent year in American history. The tumultuous events that took place in 1968 effectively transformed the face of the nation in every aspect; economically, socially, and politically. Failed military tactics, assassinations, and violent civil rights movements were the defining characteristics of 1968. Despite the few good things that came out of that year, much of 1968 was dedicated to rebuilding the country, tragedy after tragedy. The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, involvement in the Vietnam War, and escalating civil rights movements are a few of the quintessential events that contributed to

The TET offensive was the retaliation of the North. The north surprised attacked many of the cities and therefore making it so that we had to activate our reserves. It was a political and psychological victory for them (Karnow), because it dramatically contradicted claims by the United States government that the war was all but over. This offensive may have been insignificant because it was a failure but it did send an intense message. Due to the ongoing offensives, controversy over the war raged on.

The 1960’s era was known as being called the “Golden Age”. The 1960’s were a time for change, counter culture, and political movements. One of the most important events that occurred during the 1960’s was the presidential election between Richard Nixon and John F Kennedy. During this election, the Cold War between the Soviet Union and United States was the main focus. Also at this time there was a rise in the civil rights movement. The election of 1960 was a changing point in American history.

Such coverage, along with the vivid images that emerge on T.V. led to a serious rise in anti-war protest that was merely strengthened by the events of 1968. The Tet Offensive of 1968 marked the greatest conflict in beliefs of the United Stated government and the media. In January, North Vietnamese troops attacked the North cities of South Vietnam and the U.S. embassy in Saigon. The media and the television, however, portrayed the attack as a brutal defeat for the U.S, totally altering the outcome of the war at the very moment when government officials were publicly stating that victory in Vietnam was "just around the corner" (Wyatt 167)[8]. The media covered all the events that immediately followed the Tet Offensive and the American public began wondering whether this war could be won. Don Oberdorfer a Washington reporter said that “there’s no doubt Tet was one of the biggest events in contemporary American history, within two months the, American body politically turned around on the war. And they were significantly