Tet Offensive

Robert Gangi

East Brunswick High School

rgangi@ebnet.org

TET OFFENSIVE

Tet in Saigon: Infamous Iconic Photo

VTS_01_1.VOB

DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES:

  • 1. Why do you think Loan (The SV chief of police) shot the VC suspect so brazenly in front of media cameras?
  • 2. Why do you think this is perhaps the most iconic photo of the Vietnam War? What do you think it represents? Explain.
  • 3. What does this photo/video suggest about our South Vietnamese allies, or about the American cause in Vietnam?
  • 4. Why do you suppose an event like this was so well publicized in the media while stories like the Saigon communist assassination squads or the Hue massacres were far less publicized?
  • 5. What impact do you think this photo had on the average American and their perception of the Vietnam War?
  • 6. Upon seeing this photo, what kinds of questions do you think average Americans began to ask about the Vietnam War?

Listen to the audio exchange between Jack Horner of the Washington Star and Lyndon Johnson.

  • 6. What does this discussion/exchange reveal about the the relationship between LBJ and the American media?
  • 7. How would you characterize LBJ's tone with the reporter? Why so? What specific accusations or complaints does LBJ make about the press? Are his accusations/complaints valid? How would you answer him if you were the reporter?
  • 8. Why do you think the media reported the Tet offensive the way they did? Was there an agenda or were they correctly performing their duties as journalists?

PBS Vietnam: Tet in Saigon - Attack on the US Embassy

VTS_01_1.VOB

DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES:

1. What do you think the intention was of the VC attackers on the U.S. embassy? What do you think they realistically hoped to achieve?

2. Although the attack on the US embassy failed, what was the "psychological impact" of the attack? Would you consider the embassy attack a success or a failure? Why?

2. The media initially reported that the VC made it into the US embassy itself. What was the impact of such a report on the US public-? While initial reports were in fact inaccurate, do you believe that a media retraction or clarification would change the impact of such reporting? Why or why not?

Tet in Saigon: US Embassy from Frontline Vietnam

VTS_01_1.VOB

1. How would you characterize the fighting at the U.S. Embassy? What adjectives would you use? Why?

2. Whose victory was the U.S. Embassy fight? Explain.

3. How does Westmoreland portray the attack? Is he right or wrong or both? Explain.

4. What was the symbolic significance of the attack on the U.S. Embassy? What impact do you think it had on Americans at home?

5. Why did it take almost two weeks to quell the VC attack in the Saigon district of Cholon?

PBS Vietnam: Battle for Hue

VTS_02_1.VOB
VTS_03_1.VOB

TET: Vietnam in HD

Part 1

VTS_01_1.VOB

Part 2

VTS_02_1.VOB

Part 3

VTS_03_1.VOB

Part 4

VTS_04_1.VOB

Part 5

VTS_05_1.VOB

Part 6

VTS_06_1.VOB

Frontline Vietnam: Tet in Saigon and Hue - Full Video 42 minutes

VTS_01_1.VOB

PBS Vietnam: IMPACT of TET

VTS_04_1.VOB