Tet Offensive and its aftermath (January–December 1968)

1. Tet holiday truce collapses as attacks begin

   Jan 30, 1968Labels: Tet Offensive, Lunar New, Communist forces

   • State Dept
   • HISTORY
   • PBS Timeline

2. Attacks hit Saigon in opening Tet wave

   Jan 31, 1968Labels: Saigon, Urban combat, Communist units

   • Saigon Battle
   • HISTORY

3. Viet Cong attack breaches U.S. Embassy compound

   Jan 31, 1968Labels: U S, Viet Cong, Sapper team

   • Embassy Attack
   • HISTORY

4. Battle of Huế begins, turning into urban siege

   Jan 31, 1968Labels: Battle of, Citadel, U S

   • Hu Battle
   • State Dept

5. Bến Tre fighting highlights civilian destruction

   Feb 7, 1968Labels: B n, Mekong Delta, Civilian casualties

   • B n Tre
   • Arnett

6. Huế recaptured after weeks of fighting

   Mar 2, 1968Labels: Hu recapture, U S, South Vietnamese

   • Hu Battle
   • State Dept

7. My Lai massacre occurs during U.S. operation

   Mar 16, 1968Labels: My Lai, U S, S n

   • AP History
   • My Lai

8. Johnson announces de-escalation steps and exits race

   Mar 31, 1968Labels: Lyndon B, Bombing limits, U S

   • State Dept
   • March 1968

9. Khe Sanh siege relieved during Operation Pegasus

   Apr 8, 1968Labels: Khe Sanh, Operation Pegasus, U S

   • VW50 Pegasus
   • PBS Timeline

10. May Offensive launches a second major attack wave

    Apr 29, 1968Labels: May Offensive, Mini-Tet, Communist attacks

    • May Offensive
    • State Dept

11. Evacuation of Khâm Đức ends in deadly air disaster

    May 12, 1968Labels: Kh m, C-130 shootdown, Evacuation

    • C 130 Shootdown
    • HistoryNet

12. Paris peace talks open amid continued fighting

    May 13, 1968Labels: Paris peace, U S, North Vietnam

    • TIME Chron
    • State Dept

13. Abrams replaces Westmoreland as MACV commander

    Jun 10, 1968Labels: Creighton Abrams, William Westmoreland, MACV

    • Abrams
    • State Dept

14. Phase III “August offensive” renews nationwide attacks

    Aug 17, 1968Labels: August Offensive, Phase III, Nationwide attacks

    • State Dept
    • Phase III

15. U.S. announces full bombing halt over North Vietnam

    Nov 1, 1968Labels: Bombing halt, North Vietnam, U S

    • USAF Fact
    • PBS Timeline