Battle of Saigon (1968)

First Battle of Saigon
Part of the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War
A dead Viet Cong on the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, 31 January 1968
Date January 30 – March 7, 1968 Location Saigon, South Vietnam Result American/South Vietnamese tactical victory Communist attack successfully repelled Viet Cong/North Vietnamese political and propaganda victory Increased anti-war sentiment in the United States
Belligerents
South Vietnam  United States	National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam  North Vietnam
Commanders and leaders
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu William Westmoreland Robert McNamara	Võ Nguyên Giáp Trần Văn Trà
Casualties and losses
Unknown	1100 killed

American/South Vietnamese tactical victory

Viet Cong/North Vietnamese political and propaganda victory

The First Battle of Saigon, fought during the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War, was the coordinated attack by communist forces, including both the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong, against Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam.

In late January 1968 the Vietcong launched the Tet Offensive attacking U.S. and South Vietnamese positions across South Vietnam.

Saigon was the main focal point of the offensive, but a total takeover of the capital was not intended or feasible. They rather had six main targets in the city which 35 battalions of Vietcong were to attack and capture: the ARVN Joint General Staff compound near Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the Independence Palace, the US embassy, the Tan Son Nhut Air Base, the Long Binh Naval Headquarters and the National Radio Station. Because it was Tết (the Vietnamese New Year), the sound of firecrackers exploding masked that of gunfire, giving an element of surprise to the Vietcong attacks.

The Vietcong launched 35 battalions at Saigon. Sapper Battalions and the local forces attacked the Presidential Palace, the National Radio Station, the US Embassy, and other principal targets.

The 5th Vietcong Division launched an attack on the military bases at Long Binh and Biên Hòa Air Base. The North Vietnamese 7th Division launched an attack on the US 1st Infantry Division and the ARVN 5th Division at Lai Khê. The Vietcong 9th Division attacked the US 25th Infantry Division base at Củ Chi.

...
Wikipedia