January–February 1968Reputable sourceWell documented
The Tet Offensive
On the timeline · around January–February 1968 ·
What happened
During the Tet holiday in January 1968, communist forces launched surprise attacks on more than 100 cities and towns across South Vietnam, even briefly penetrating the U.S. embassy in Saigon. They were beaten back with heavy losses.
Why it matters
A military defeat for the North became a psychological victory: Americans who had been told the enemy was collapsing lost faith in the war, marking its great turning point.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Tet Offensive · Reputable source