Explain the role of nationalism in the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Second Indochina War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Competing forces of nationalism played a key role in the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Second Indochina War (1954-1975). Nationalism implies a feeling of patriotism and a strong impulse to improve the country. For North Vietnam and areas of South Vietnam, this meant a war for independence, an attempt to break the bonds of foreign control. In conflict with this was America's sense of nationalism, which distorted into vehement discouragement of communism. These competing forces reached their peak in the Tet Offensive, a North Vietnamese response to their struggle for independence. Although technically considered a military failure, it was evidently a success measured by the reactions and ramifications it caused for both the Americans and the Indochinese. The Tet Offensive of 1968 began on the eve of the celebration of the Tet festival, which itself was considered a conflict-free period. The significance of holding this festival was not only the element of surprise that would be gained by holding it on a public holiday, but the historical significance since in 1789 Quang Trung led his forces to Hanoi during Tet to overthrow an army sent from China, with also the goal of independence. The North Vietnamese hoped to replicate this victory. Shortly before midnight on January 30, Ho Chi Minh, president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945-1969), announced on the radio a signal for the start of the offensive: "...let the South and the North emulate each other in fight against US aggressors! Forward! Total victory will be ours." The offensive consisted of three phases that lasted until October 1968. These had serious repercussions on the American home front, on American soldiers, on Cambodians and Laotians, and of course on the South and North Vietnamese. It became a turning point in the Second Indochina War. The consideration of launching the Tet Offensive by the North Vietnamese Army, particularly the Viet Cong, was part of a larger struggle for independence that became a major motivation during the Second Indochina War. General Giap, one of the main organizers of the offensive, commented that the objective was "at once military, political and diplomatic", reflecting the global nature of the offensive. They aimed to launch a major attack by North Vietnamese forces against U.S. troops in South Vietnam, attack as many cities as possible, and then use political efforts to provoke an uprising in the South and undermine military and civilian confidence in the North Vietnamese government South. . All of this was underpinned by North Vietnam's sense of nationalism, aimed at uniting Vietnam under a single communist government. As one Vietnamese refugee put it: “The Viet Cong offensive is like the tide lapping on a beach. It comes and goes. But each time some of the government's authority is swept away. The attack on the American embassy in Saigon after midnight on January 31 involved nineteen Viet Cong (VC) fighters blowing a three-foot hole in the embassy wall. This particular offensive expressed the anti-American feelings felt by the North Vietnamese in accordance with their nationalistic values ​​of independence. The Viet Cong fighters were all hit but managed to psychologically affect the confidence of the Americans, managing to achieve their goal. AnotherSignificant attack was against the coastal city of Hue, the third largest city in Vietnam. This city was not only the former imperial capital, but was also the cultural and intellectual center of Vietnam, as well as being a major unloading point for Allied troops. The headquarters of the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) was based in Hue. The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) attacked the city with mortar and rocket fire. They crashed into the citadel walls and other defensive points, shocking the ARVN troops stationed there. They invaded the citadel, raising a North Vietnamese flag to signify their success. The flag became a symbol of North Vietnamese nationalism, a physical representation of their attempt to end American control over Vietnam and reunify the country. It took a month for the South Vietnamese flag to be reinstated on the flagpole, after the complete destruction of the city itself. The victims killed in Hue were “victims of American air power and the ground fighting that raged in the Hamlets” which helped establish hatred towards Americans due to the civilian casualties suffered. This attack was a success for the NVA and VC, not militarily, but because of the inefficiencies in the American and South Vietnamese defense that it brought to public attention. The American forces' counterattack was instigated in accordance with their sense of nationalism, which incorporated strong anti-communist sentiments. This became the cause of their involvement in the Indochina War. The US military aimed to fight and win the war against communism by following the dominant American ideology, influenced by Eisenhower's "domino theory". This was reflected in the American public originally being in majority support of the war, which later evolved into minority support during the Tet Offensive and its aftermath. Anti-war movements began to develop across America as the influence of the media became supreme, showing photos and videos of the excessive violence and destruction the war was causing in Indochina. President Johnson (1963-1969) became entrenched in discussions about American involvement in the war, to the point that he ended his run for the presidency. The South Vietnamese military was equally shocked by the Tet Offensive, losing confidence in its ability to continue as a democratic country. One of the most significant attacks was the one in Saigon. The main bases near Saigon were secured by the end of January 31, as the VC were in residential areas and hideouts. A radio station was attacked, with a failed attempt to control Saigon's radio stations. The Presidential Palace, a cornerstone of democratic government, was also hit and suffered extensive damage. Saigon itself was not cleared until March 7, 1968. Nationalistic feelings within the country were dominated by American ones, preventing proper independence formation for the South Vietnamese government, but instead full confidence in the efforts and in assisting Americans. The effect that the Tet Offensive had on civilians in both Cambodia and Laos was extremely significant in the subsequent events of the Indochina War. The Ho Chi Minh Trail that ran through both Cambodia and Laos, carrying supplies to Northern fighters in South Vietnam, was also heavily bombed. This caused a reaction among the people living in the areas and spread further into major areas of the respective countries. The devastation caused to major cities, combined with the obvious flaws on the South Vietnamese and American fronts, stimulated Communist aspirations and sympathies, thus influencing their sense of nationalism for.