"It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate." — Walter Cronkite, CBS Evening News, February 27, 1968
The trend on the chart and Cronkite's commentary together best illustrate which significance of the Tet Offensive?
- A
It marked the beginning of the U.S. troop buildup in Southeast Asia
- B
It demonstrated the success of Vietnamization in stabilizing public support
- C
It led directly to a U.S. military victory and rapid withdrawal
- Dcheck_circle
A military setback for the Viet Cong became a political and credibility defeat for the Johnson administration
Explanation
Tet was tactically a defeat for the Viet Cong but it shattered LBJ's "light at the end of the tunnel" narrative. Cronkite's verdict and falling polls helped push Johnson to forgo reelection on March 31, 1968.