Execution Essay: The Year 1968

The year 1968 was a tumultuous time that transformed who we were as a people, and aided in establishing the path for who we are today. Rebellion ensued during this time, with countries rising up against capitalism, communism, or any related form of authoritarianism. At this time, the country was divided over Vietnam, politics were in a state of confusion and disarray, and the assassinations of powerful figures shaped 1968 into being known as “the year that rocked the world”.
The year 1968 began quietly with the front page of the New York Times reading, “world bids adieu to a violent year; city gets snowfall”. In Vietnam, 1968 begun with Pope Paul VI declaring January 1 as a day of peace. The pope had persuaded the South Vietnamese and the American Allies to extend twelve hours to their twenty four hour truce. They followed the pope’s wishes, but ten minutes after the clock struck midnight, a unit of Viet Cong caught the South Vietnamese
and South Vietnamese managed to hold off the attack of the Communist forces, the news coverage of the offensive managed to appall the American public, and further eliminated the support for the war effort (Tet Offensive). Historians later confirmed that the retaliation by the U.S. and South Vietnamese nearly destroyed the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong, however the effort was more than it appeared to be. (Appleby 895).
Despite the heavy casualties inflicted upon the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces, they had scored a political victory. The American people were shocked that an enemy on the verge of defeat could launch such a large scale attack. Militarily, Tet was a major loss to the North Vietnamese, however, they attained a strategic victory as the attacks marked a major turning point in the Vietnamese War, and commenced the slow withdrawal of American troops. In spite of everything, President Johnson confidently announced that the Tet offensive had been a “complete failure” (Appleby 895) (Tet