Due to successful diversionary tactics, American military personnel like the father of Robert M. Pope of New London, CT were caught off guard, and many U.S. troops were ordered to immediately bug out to relocate to Vietnamese cities and military installations which were targets of the unified attack. A public execution of a Viet Cong officer in the streets of Saigon caught by a news service photographer during TET, has been labelled ‘the picture that lost the war’ for its effect on the American public, who decried the violence and inhumanity, increasing cries for an end to U.S. involvement.
It is estimated that the first phase of the TET offensive, January 30 to April 8, saw 45,000 People’s Army of North Vietnam soldiers killed, with an unknown number of wounded. During the same period, South Vietnamese forces lost 2,788 killed and more than 8000 wounded. U.S. and other allies lost 1,536 troops, with over 7,000 wounded. This period was the most deadly time of the TET offensive, and Robert M Pope New London CT Naval officer Dad was in the thick of the fighting during this time. The battles of Hue, Khe Sanh and the American defeat in Quang Tin province were some of the bloodiest and most costly to American forces in TET, while the casualties to communist forces were horrendous, estimated at 45,267 killed in action from late 1967 to August 1968. An estimated 28,000 South Vietnamese troops were lost. Directive 55 on April 5 of 1969 to American units specified: “Never again and under no circumstances are we going to risk our entire military force for just such an offensive…”
It is estimated that the first phase of the TET offensive, January 30 to April 8, saw 45,000 People’s Army of North Vietnam soldiers killed, with an unknown number of wounded. During the same period, South Vietnamese forces lost 2,788 killed and more than 8000 wounded. U.S. and other allies lost 1,536 troops, with over 7,000 wounded. This period was the most deadly time of the TET offensive, and Robert M Pope New London CT Naval officer Dad was in the thick of the fighting during this time. The battles of Hue, Khe Sanh and the American defeat in Quang Tin province were some of the bloodiest and most costly to American forces in TET, while the casualties to communist forces were horrendous, estimated at 45,267 killed in action from late 1967 to August 1968. An estimated 28,000 South Vietnamese troops were lost. Directive 55 on April 5 of 1969 to American units specified: “Never again and under no circumstances are we going to risk our entire military force for just such an offensive…”