40th anniversary of Tet Offensive marked

[CommunityEditor]

Just over 40 years ago, on Jan. 30, 1968, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched a series of widespread and coordinated attacks against U.S. and allied forces in South Vietnam.

The assault coincided with Tet, the beginning of the lunar year and an important holiday in Vietnam. Although U.S. and South Vietnamese troops held fast against the attacks and inflicted massive casualties, what amounted to a military victory on the battlefield became, in some respects, a defeat for U.S. political goals. Public opinion in the U.S., already beginning to turn against the war, looked at Tet as evidence that U.S. participation in Vietnam was too costly.

The intent of the North Vietnamese and their Viet Cong allies was to crush the Army of (South) Vietnam, the ARVN, and trigger a popular uprising among the civilian population against the South Vietnamese government. To achieve these goals, the enemy attacked five major cities, 36 provincial capitals and 64 district capitals. Additionally, they attacked numerous hamlets and the Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon. Finally, in an attempt to deliver a decisive psychological blow, the enemy attacked — and penetrated — the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.

U.S. troops at Tan Son Nhut withstood the attack but did so in an extraordinary reversal of roles: Most of the ground troops were Air Force and most of the air cover was provided by the Army.

The enemy had deceitfully agreed with the South Vietnamese to a cease-fire to celebrate Tet. Although U.S. military intelligence discerned that an attack might occur, the information was ignored for three reasons. First, the Americans believed that the enemy would not violate the cease-fire. Second, senior U.S. commanders did not think that the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong were capable of launching major combat operations. Third, the Army and Marines were preoccupied with the ongoing siege at Khe Sanh, which had started Jan. 21 and would last 77 days.

Although there was hard fighting, American and South Vietnamese forces quickly repelled enemy troops from the cities. The only exception was the ancient city of Hue, which was not liberated until Feb. 25. When U.S. and South Vietnamese finally retook that city, they discovered 5,800 civilians dead — many of whom had been brutally executed by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong.

While enemy losses will never be known for certain, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong casualties are thought to have been about 52,000. American, South Korean, New Zealand and Australian forces had about 6,300 killed and some 20,000 wounded in action. The South Vietnamese had about 11,600 casualties.

There is no doubt that Tet was a decisive military defeat for the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. But, as President Lyndon B. Johnson had been insisting in public statements that the enemy was incapable of launching major attacks, Tet had a far-reaching impact on both the Johnson administration and American public opinion. After Tet, more and more Americans turned against the war and Johnson refused to increase the troop levels sought by Gen. William C. Westmoreland at Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Most historians believe that Tet played a significant role in Johnson’s March 31 announcement on national television that there would be a partial bombing halt and that he would not seek re-election in November 1968.


Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/20...story_080130w/

[GRANTWDBY]

Tet is now part of the playbook of our enemies abroad and their allies here at home. The jihadis want to make our presence as costly as possible, given the force assymetry, in the most flagrant way possible for the old media. The Cronkites and wannabes here can't wait to repeat their tired mantras that attacks on us are our fault, if we were only better people they wouldn't hate us so, if we would only surrender to our enemies we could make them better people, etc., ad nauseum.
Kill the enemy! Peace through victory!

Also AS IMPORTANT was the Battle for Bunker Hill #10 at Bien Hoa Air Base. When so few gave so much to protect so many. Some very important HEROs were Captain Reginald V Maisey and A1C Edward G. Muse. I would like to share the following

CSS, this is Bunker 10,
Ithink we've got Cong in the wire.

"Roger that, I m sending a SAT,
Stay Alert and hold your fire."

The S.P.s did as instructed,
The a trip flare popped to their right.

They fired a burst from their '60,
Which started one hell of a fight.

Red tracers streaked from the barrel,
As they searched for V.C. to smite.

The V.C. poured through the wire,
And charged with all their might.

Rockets exploded, weapons reloaded,
Slap flares soared high and bright.

The airmen fought on very bravely,
Then a round struck and one fell

And still the sappers kept coming,
Into the jaws of hell.

They battled for more than an hour,
Now another S.P. lay dead

A burst from an enemy weapon
Had riddled his body with lead

A truck soon pulled up to the bunker,
And a Staff Sergeant hurried inside

He smiled at his friends who were fighting,
Almost cried for his friends who had died

Then he grabbed a '16 from the corner,
As the '60 machine gun roared

He fired along with his comrades,
As they fought off the oncoming horde

They fiinally repulsed the attackers,
And by daybreak, the V.C. had fled

Leaving their weapons behind them,
As well as their wounded and dead

The medics arrived at the bunker,
And departed with two dead young men

But the brave young S.P. s were undaunted,
As they stood ready should they come again

In what has now known by Security Forces,
As the Battle for Bunker Hill 10

There were so many during the war that gave so much so that we could enjoy the FREEDOM today! Let us not ever forget them and the men and women of today who have followed in their foot steps that this country sometimes does not understand what the future is about. AMEN and sleep well tonight for they still guard us from afar. Sleep well our gentle HERO's sleep well!

[ERSLEVE]

The previous post left out the author of the poem The Battle for Bunker Hill #10

Bt Richard L. Lemley
21 January 1989

Also remember the other importaqnt battles at Bien Hoa, Phu Cat and Cam Ranh Bay and all those men and women who gave so much!!

The above poem could describe many pitched battles that took place during those days in thousands of villages and hamlets. What pains me about the memory is it was also the start of the Ted Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey,J William Fullbright et. al. ilk in congress joining hands with Hanoi Jane and other bleeding heart libs in their treasonous push for our pull out which left hundreds of thousands of those poor folks to die at the hands of the commies who moved in in force as we pulled back by executive order of the powers that be in D.C.

[00453543]

Originally Posted by Burusu

The above poem could describe many pitched battles that took place during those days in thousands of villages and hamlets. What pains me about the memory is it was also the start of the Ted Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey,J William Fullbright et. al. ilk in congress joining hands with Hanoi Jane and other bleeding heart libs in their treasonous push for our pull out which left hundreds of thousands of those poor folks to die at the hands of the commies who moved in in force as we pulled back by executive order of the powers that be in D.C.