The Cost of Liberation

What did the Tet offensive achieve?

How was the Battle of Hue waged?

Why were almost 3000 people murdered by the Viet Cong?

Time Period Covered 1968

This episode covers the Tet Offensive of early 1968. Lachlan links the media coverage of the event, with the extreme scenes in Saigon, to the reality of the offensive and what the communists hoped to achieve. In Hue, perhaps the most stunning battle of the offensive took place, as for four weeks the city was occupied by the NVA and NLF. During this time, as a brutal campaign of house-to-house combat took place, the communists embarked upon a reign of terror to reshape the city they had taken, at least 2800 civilians were murdered.

Sources

Edward Miller The Vietnam War: A Documentary Reader
Nha Ca Mourning Headband For Hue
The Vietnam War Geoffrey War and Ken Burns
The Vietnam War Mark Atwood Lawrence
Vietnam Max Hastings
The Viet-Cong Strategy of Terror Douglas Pike
Hue Mark Bowden