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The Tet Offensive: Causes Of The Vietnam War

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The Vietnam War was one of great reflection for the people of America. Why were we putting countless lives on the front lines of a country a million miles away? The Vietnam War began under a different name, The First Indochina War, and it occurred almost twenty years before the United States of America put troops in Vietnam. The French were fighting to keep control of their Southeast Asian colony. This war lasted eight years, starting in 1946 and ending in 1954. This conflict ended with the signing of the Geneva Accords by France and Vietnam; the Geneva Accords gave Ho Chi Min control of the North, and it guaranteed that there would be elections in 1956 to unite Vietnam once again. Later, Cold War came to French Indochina, and this is what …show more content…

This attack by the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army was known as the Tet Offensive. For the people of Vietnam, Tet is a celebration of the new lunar year. Tet is very similar to Chinese Chunjie and Korean Solnal. It is also known as the Spring Festival to some additional Southeastern Asian countries (Lunar New Year). Tet is a celebration that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar, and it ends with on the first full moon of the lunar calendar. This can lead to the number of days that the celebration lasts to vary from year to year. One source claims that each day of Tet is dedicated to celebrating something …show more content…

In total thirty-six provincial capitals, five major cities, sixty-four district capitals, and fifty villages were attacked. In addition to these cities, the United States embassy and the Presidential Palace in Vietnam were also raided (The Tet Offensive). The Tet Offensive attack lasted three weeks. No one in South Vietnam was prepared for this attack, they were in the process of celebrating the biggest holiday in Vietnamese culture when their cities were raided. If the Viet Cong, NVA, or PAVN were able to gain control of the city, they would begin to execute all of the civilians that had sided with the United States

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