Question

What did the Tet Offensive show the American people?

Answer 1

Hint: The Tet Offensive was a coordinated military operation by North Vietnam against South Vietnam. It was also against the United States Armed Forces and their allies. It occurred in January 1968 during the time of Lunar New Year in Vietnam.

Complete answer:
The Tet Offensive, also known as the General Offensive of 1968, was one of the extensive series of attacks by forces of North Vietnam on more than hundred towns and outposts in South Vietnam.
The South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the United States Armed Forces and their allies were the opponents of Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) who were responsible for these attacks. It was an attempt to instigate rebellion among the population of South Vietnam and to prompt the United States to reduce its involvement in the Vietnam War.
The Tet Offensive was a strategic victory for the North Vietnamese, although they had a heavy casualty toll, and also the failure to inspire widespread rebellion among the people of South Vietnam.
The Tet Offensive showed Americans various things.
The news media in the US captured much of the bloodshed and realities of war through stories and pictures and revealed it to the American public and all these were contradicting the administration reports of the US government.
It resulted in withdrawing the support of America from the region. The vulnerability of American forces in Vietnam was shown. American intelligence failed to identify the massive build-up of troops of enemies around certain key centres of South Vietnam. The attacks put America's credibility and ability to continue to wage the war into doubt. Since it had a great impact in administration, it even led to US President Lyndon B Johnson to take a decision not to seek re-election that year. It was almost a disaster of public relations to the President.

Note: Since the first major attacks took place on the Tet holiday, the Vietnamese New Year, the offensive is named as Tet Offensive. By 1975, there was a total withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam.