Finalist for the 1971 National Book Award In early 1968, Communist forces in Vietnam launched a surprise offensive that targeted nearly every city, town, and major military base throughout South Vietnam. For several hours, the U.S. embassy in Saigon itself came under siege by Viet Cong soldiers. Militarily, the offensive was a failure, as the North Vietnamese Army and its guerrilla allies in the south suffered devastating losses. Politically, however, it proved to be a crucial turning point in America's involvement in Southeast Asia and public opinion of the war. In this classic work of military history and war reportage-long considered the definitive history of Tet and its aftermath-Don Oberdorfer moves back and forth between the war and the home front to document the lasting importance of this military action. Based on his own observations as a correspondent for the Washington Post and interviews with hundreds of people who were caught up in the struggle, Tet! remains an essential contribution to our understanding of the Vietnam War.

Oberdorfer gives suspense to history. This is what reporting should be. -- David Halberstam A valuable addition to the history of our purgatory... The reporting is bull's-eye accurate. -- Walter Cronkite

About the Author
Don Oberdorfer was a diplomatic correspondent for the Washington Post from 1976 until his retirement in 1993. His other books include From the Cold War to a New Era, also available in paperback from Johns Hopkins, and The Two Koreas.

Reviews
Tet! is a rare commodity in war chronicles and a book that justifies its own exclamation mark... A pioneering work. -- John Franklin Campbell New York Times Book Review The author's reconstruction of the battle ranks with the best war reporting of World War II and Korea. -- Frederick Taylor Wall Street Journal [Oberdorfer] has written here a book which should take its place alongside the historical volumes about Vietnam of Bernard Fall and Robert Shaplen. -- John Hughes Christian Science Monitor It is essential reading for everyone concerned about the Vietnam war-and the making of American foreign policy... An important as well as a fascinating book. -- Anthony Lake Washington Post



Book Information
ISBN 9780801867033
Author Don Oberdorfer
Format Paperback
Page Count 440
Imprint Johns Hopkins University Press
Publisher Johns Hopkins University Press
Weight(grams) 522g
Dimensions(mm) 216mm * 140mm * 25mm