Public opinion and the war in vietnam american political science. Politics, war, and public opinion american political challenges g reference, information and interdisciplinary subjects series vietnam america in the war years vietnamamerica in the war years. Not only did the tet offensive continue the war, but it also made it worse for those in vietnam as well as those safe at home who wanted simply to know that their patriotism was not misguided. The tet offensive was one of the first battles to be aired on television.
The tet offensive marked the beginning of the end of american involvement in vietnam, which had been escalating up to that point. What effect did the tet offensive have on american public. Tet offensive the tet offensive was a military failure for the viet cong, but, at the same time, it devastated the american publics support for the war. Public opinion was against the vietnam war from almost the beginning. The tet offensive of the vietnam war until the tet offensive media coverage of the vietnam war was of mild and positive reports of the fighting. It shocked the american public into reality about the. The tet offensive was a turning point in the war for the support of americans. Effects of the tet offensive charlie company vietnam 19661972. Increase in the credibility gap tet seemed to show lbjs progress offensive was an exaggeration, to some a lie kennedy speech. Nvavc suicide troops struck in saigon, hue was temporarily occupied, news media reported immense damage in the south. The outcome of the offensive ultimately led to a major. The results of the tet offensive were the wellcoordinated urban attacks came during the most sacred of vietnamese holidays and caught american commanders by surprise. Jan 29, 2018 while most critics, especially military officers, tended to paint the tet offensive as a military victory turned political defeat, it seems more useful to consider this chapter of the war as a strategic tutorial on flawed assumptions among american and north vietnamese leaders and commanders. Mar 01, 2018 the struggle for hue during tet 1968 was arguably arvns greatest victory of the war a victory too often denied its proper place in history.
The election of 1968 was the harbinger of the republican political strategist kevin. Accordingly, public support for president johnson steadily fell in the same period. Public opinion soon changed to be against the war, and an army cant fight very well without its people supporting it. Within the broader context of the vietnam war, more than anything. Although the majority of the public became convinced in 1968 that entering the vietnam war had been a mistake, they. Oct 10, 2017 during the vietnam war 19591975, the tet offensive in 1968 significantly marked a crucial turning point that led to the deescalation and total withdrawal of us troops from vietnam, just several years later. What was the significance of the tet offensive and why was.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. At its core, the 1968 tet offensive, from all sides. Schmitz is an intelligent and discerning historian, and he shows it in this excellent brief introduction to the subject. It changed the entire way that the united states approached the war. Public opinion of the vietnam war was greatly affected after the.
This political cartoon depicts the common public opinion that the vietnam war is dirty and want the war to end. The attacks were carried out by some 85,000 troops against five major south vietnamese cities, dozens of military installations, and scores of towns and villages throughout south vietnam. When a temporary peace was called for the lunar new year, it seemed there would be a period of rest during the tragic conflict. The politics of the war, as well as those carrying it out, came under heavy questioning in america as a result. How did the tet offensive affect public opinion about the. Americans heard encouraging words about the war as far back as 1950, when general macarthur predicted that 150,000 top french troops should end this war in 4 months. Politics, war, and public opinion the tet offensive. How did the tet offensive change american public opinions about the war. The frustrated hawks, tet 1968, and the transformation of. What was the significance of the tet offensive and why was it. It not only damaged the american troop morale and public support for the war, but it also destroyed johnsons personal convictions for the war. A25 for the original attack on our survey and ibid. Even though the military defeated the communist tet offensive, why did american public opinion begin to turn away from.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The tet offensive, 1968 in late january, 1968, during the lunar new year or tet holiday, north vietnamese and communist viet cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in south vietnam. How did the tet offensive influence the outcome of the. Tet offensive the tet offensive received its name from the vietnamese lunar new year, the american public and further holiday called tet tet offensive n. Jun 14, 2009 the horror that hit the american soldiers during the tet offensive was shown on american television and newspapers and the people back home were horrified with what they saw. The tet offensive shocked the nation and permanently changed. What impact did the tet offensive have on the united. Through his uptodate analysis of recently available sources. During the vietnam war 19591975, the tet offensive in 1968 significantly marked a crucial turning point that led to the deescalation and total withdrawal of us troops from vietnam, just several years later. Media misreporting of tet passed into our collective. Westmoreland, commander of united states forces, compared the tet offensive to the battle of the bulge in 1944, nazi germanys last major drive in world. The results of the tet offensive were monumental, tens of thousands were killed and many more wounded. With all the news reporting coming from the tet offensive, he began to report more negatively on the war.
Although the tet offensive was quashed relatively quickly, it was an enormous political defeat for the u. If we examine trends in public opinion, opposition to the war crossed an important threshold in. The tet offensive and the vietnam war lesson plan for 9th. Jan 29, 2009 this week, we mark the 41st anniversary of the 1968 tet offensive, generally recognized as the watershed event of the u. The tet offensive was a turning point in the vietnam war, but one that irreparably poisoned american public opinion on u.
A second and interrelated claim is that while tet represented an overwhelming military victory for the americans and south vietnamese, it quickly morphed into a profound political and psychological defeat as a result of the distorted media coverage. Embassy in saigon is known today as the tet offensive. But television made domestic political opinion a greater factor in the vietnam war than perhaps any before it. Media reporters had only been filming in isolated areas of combat that didnt show the harsh fighting that was occurring elsewhere. The media, the war in vietnam, and political support. But the public didnt hear about who had won this most decisive battle of the vietnam war, the socalled tet offensive, until much too late. Not a single war before vietnam had had the advantage3 of being portrayed on tv, simply because it was not invented yet, in case of wwii, or because not many people had it in their homes, in case of korean war. How does the war still influence american politics and foreign policy. Opinion the tet offensive was not about americans the.
Schmitz situates the tet offensive in the context of american. The importance of the vietnam wars tet offensive war on. In the years leading up to the tet offensive, the us. The lost chance for peace and the escalation of war in vietnam. Get an answer for what impact did the tet offensive have on the united states during the vietnam war. Free tet offensive papers, essays, and research papers. The tet offensive of 1968 proved to be the turning point of the vietnam war and its effects were farreaching. In 2008, on its 40th anniversary, alan woods analysed the events that led to the vietnam war and the significance of the tet offensive in bringing about the defeat of us imperialism, and drew some parallels with iraq. The tet offensive changed american politics and the course of the vietnam war by making more americans be unalterably opposed to the war. The tet offensive altered public opinion of the war because the a war seemed unwinnable b u. Devastating effect on american public opinion 78 percent of americans said no progress was being made. Walter cronkite was the most trusted news reporter in america, and probably the world. Effects of the tet offensive charlie company vietnam. First is the claim that the medias coverage of tet turned public opinion against the war.
This the tet offensive and the vietnam war lesson plan is suitable for 9th 12th grade. Mahalo has a very comprehensive list of research links, blogs, and a good timeline. In the tet offensive, historian william thomas allison provides a clear, concise overview of the major. How the tet offensive shocked americans into questioning. Illusions though a crushing defeat for the communists, the tet offensive turned the tide in vietnam and america. Students discover how the united states became involved in the vietnam war, the importance of the tet offensive in turning american public opinion against the war, and how the. Tet offensive, attacks staged by north vietnamese forces beginning in the early hours of january 31, 1968, during the vietnam war. Social media has made the connection between conflict and popular sentiment even closer, and even more complex. The tet offensive was the real turning point in the vietnam war. The tet offensive shocked the nation and permanently. The conduct of wars themselves will no doubt be further influenced by public perceptions of them in the future. Wirtz, a historian at the naval war college who has closely studied the 1968 offensive, declared at the bethesda conference that tet was an earthshattering, mindshattering event that.
The tet offensive, a surprise attack launched by north vietnam in the predawn hours of jan. David f schmitz in this new work, historian david f. The tet offensive 1968 early in 1968 the communists launched a major offensive to coincide with the traditional vietnamese new year celebrations 29 to 31 january. How did the tet offensive affect american politics and the. Opinion the tet offensive was not about americans the new. How the tet offensive shocked americans into questioning if the vietnam war could be won. A look at the tet offensive from the point of view of the military police who fought in it.
Public opinion of the vietnam war was greatly affected after the tet offensive. The tet offensive is essential reading for scholars and students of the vietnam war as well as general readers interested in one of the key turning points in post1945 american history. Chapter 8 the tet offensive f or over 20 years, government officials told the american people that they were winning the war in indochina. Writing with remarkable economy and clarity, david f. The tet offensive did not bring them any closer to the goal of reunification, even the wikipedia article on the vietnam war admits the tet offensive galvanized many previously apathetic south vietnamese to fight for the government, it was a major pyschological blow to the us war effort, but that was never the goal of the campaign. In the tet offensive, historian william thomas allison provides a clear, concise overview of the major events and issues surrounding the tet offensive, and compiles carefully selected primary sources to illustrate the complex military, political, and public decisions that made up tet. The tet offensive is a lucid and authoritative reexamination of a key moment in the vietnam war. Public opinion and the war in vietnam volume 61 issue 2 sidney verba, richard. Oct 11, 2017 the tet offensive, a surprise attack launched by north vietnam in the predawn hours of jan. The tet offensive of the vietnam war 4649 words 19 pages. Normatively, it is desirable for political leaders in a democracy to commit national. Get an answer for how did the tet offensive affect american politics and the course of the war in vietnam. With americans turning against the war in ever greater numbers, struggles for power between the government and the military, and no end in sight to the fighting, the tet offensive of 1968 proved to be the turning point of the vietnam war. The turning point foreign policy research institute.
The us government am military had stated for years the war was almost over. Schmitz analyzes what is arguably the most important event in the history of the vietnam conflict. Americans heard encouraging words about the war as far back as 1950, when general macarthur predicted that 150,000 top. The tet offensive was a turning point for public opinion. This would, and did, sharply alter public opinion of the war. The 1968 tet offensive was an event which effected a marked change on the almost certain outcome of the vietnam war. However, the tet offensive was an overwhelming psychological defeat. The tet offensive altered public opinion of the war. The tet offensive impacted the united states in the vietnam war by convincing many americans that the war was not going to be won and that their government had been lying to them. Schmitz situates the tet offensive in the context of american foreign policy and the state of the war up to 1968 while carefully considering the impact of the media on american public opinion.
The series of surprise attacks that the north vietnam and viet cong forces launched to attack many of south vietnam cities and u. How did the disagreements between hawks and doves reflect divided opinions about war and world politics. How did the tet offensive change american public opinion. Secretary of defense robert mcnamara said in numerous press conferences as did l b jonhson that the war was won. Essay on the tet offensive of the vietnam war 2394 words. No evidence exists to corroborate the myth that hanoi was saved by an american media that had purposefully tainted u. The tet offensive altered public opinion of the war because. In an essay television coverage of the vietnam war and the vietnam veteran by e.
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