History glossary
Tet Offensive
the 1968 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong attacks across South Vietnam that transformed perceptions of the Vietnam War.
- Category
- Military offensive
- Region
- Vietnam
- Date range
- 1968
What it means
The Tet Offensive began in January 1968 during the Vietnamese New Year holiday. North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces attacked cities, bases, and symbolic targets across South Vietnam. The attacks were costly for communist forces but deeply damaged US confidence in official claims of progress.
