The Battle of Khe Sahn

US General Westmoreland planned to lure the North Vietnamese into a major battle in which superior American firepower would end the war. He chose an isolated American base at Khe Sahn, near the North Vietnamese border. 5,000 US Marines were stationed there. They were surrounded by between 20,000 and 40,000 North Vietnamese. 

On 21 January, the North Vietnamese began a rocket and mortar attack. One rocket landed in the middle of the Marines' main ammunition dump setting off 11,000 rounds of ammunition, destroying the airstrip's navigational aids and setting off canisters of tear gas which filled the base. The bombardment continued for another 76 days.

The Americans made several attempts to destroy the Vietnamese with artillery and air bombardment but had limited success. The Vietnamese made several attempts to overrun the base but were repelled. The Marines had insufficient food and water and were overrun by rats. Eventually, the Vietnamese decided to abandon their attacks. In June, the Americans abandoned the base.
 

The Tet Offensive

The North Vietnamese also planned to bring the war to an end early in 1968. Late in January, 80,000 communist troops attacked cities and towns throughout South Vietnam.  The Communists believed that they could humiliate the South Vietnamese and American troops and break the will of the American people to continue the war.

Early in the offensive, the communists captured the city of Hue. The South Vietnamese reported that as many as 4,700 civilians had been massacred by the communists. This figure has been much disputed and it has even been claimed that most of the causalities were caused by American air bombardment. However, the effect of the reported "massacre" and other civilian casualties was to galvanise the South Vietnamese Army which fought with new ferocity and courage to inflict severe causalities on the communists.

The Americans, on the other hand, had little involvement in the fighting - so much so as to start rumours in South Vietnam that they supported the communist action against the South Vietnamese people.

The same was not true of the Australian troops who were involved in heavy fighting in Bien Hoa Province where they killed more than 220 enemy and, in re-taking the town of Baria from the Viet Cong, did much to cement the good relations between the Australians and the South Vietnamese people.

The Tet Offensive lasted about a month. After a period of re-grouping, the communists resumed the offensive in May. This time, Americans, as well as the  Australians, were heavily involved in the fighting. 26 Australians were killed and 110 wounded during May and June.