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The '''Tet offensive of 1968''' must surely be regarded as one of history's chameleon campaigns. When the [[North Vietnam]]ese and [[Vietcong]] troops assaulted targets throughout the [[Republic of Vietnam]] at the end of January 1968, they expected to trigger an uprising of the [[South Vietnam]]ese people against their government. Despite some spectacular early successes, the attacks failed. The South Vietnamese did not embrace the cause; thousands of sappers, assault troops, and cadres met their deaths before overwhelming allied counterattacks; and the insurgent infrastructure was so decimated at the end of the fighting that no large enemy offensives could be mounted for four years.

The '''Tet offensive of 1968''' must surely be regarded as one of history's chameleon campaigns. When the [[North Vietnam]]ese and [[Vietcong]] troops assaulted targets throughout the [[Republic of Vietnam]] at the end of January 1968, they expected to trigger an uprising of the [[South Vietnam]]ese people against their government. Despite some spectacular early successes, the attacks failed. The South Vietnamese did not embrace the cause; thousands of sappers, assault troops, and cadres met their deaths before overwhelming allied counterattacks; and the insurgent infrastructure was so decimated at the end of the fighting that no large enemy offensives could be mounted for four years.

The operation was a military failure for North. The communists lost half their army. Yet, it was a public relations victory. Despite the North's enormous, overwhelming losses, the result was that the American public became convinced that the North was unbeatable.  

The operation was a military failure for North. The communists lost half their army. Yet, it was a public relations victory. Despite the North's enormous, overwhelming losses, the result was that the American public became convinced that the North was unbeatable. <ref>[The] Tet Offensive was launched, and despite attacks on some 155 cities, villages and hamlets across South Vietnam, the communists got hammered. It is generally accepted, based on admissions from the North Vietnamese communists since the end of the war, that more than half of all communist forces were killed in action in this period, and that doesn't include the numbers wounded or captured. [http://mavericknewsnetwork.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/05/index.html] </ref>

Nonetheless, the Tet offensive was a turning point in the war, and the North Vietnamese were successful in altering the course of [[Vietnam War|the war]] far beyond the accomplishments of their army. The American people were shocked that the Vietcong/ [[North Vietnamese Army]] (VC/NV A) possessed the strength to make the widespread strikes. In the public clamor that followed, President [[Lyndon Johnson]] announced a bombing halt and withdrew from the 1968 Presidential race. The policy of Vietnamization was launched, and many Americans concluded that the war was too costly to pursue. [http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1978/nov-dec/bishop.html]

Nonetheless, the Tet offensive was a turning point in the war, and the North Vietnamese were successful in altering the course of [[Vietnam War|the war]] far beyond the accomplishments of their army. The American people were shocked that the Vietcong/ [[North Vietnamese Army]] (VC/NV A) possessed the strength to make the widespread strikes. In the public clamor that followed, President [[Lyndon Johnson]] announced a bombing halt and withdrew from the 1968 Presidential race. The policy of Vietnamization was launched, and many Americans concluded that the war was too costly to pursue. [http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1978/nov-dec/bishop.html]