Category Archives: Vietnam War

South Vietnamese troops recapture palace at Hue 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 24 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Tet [6/11]' (Imperial Palace recaptured at 23:22)

(Saturday, February 24, 1968, at 5:00 a.m. Saigon Standard Time; during the Tet Offensive, the Vietnam War, the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — South Vietnamese troops, throwing hand grenades and shouting an exultant war cry, recaptured the Imperial Palace today in Hue, raising the South Vietnamese flag on the Citadel flag tower 24 days into the Battle of Hue. Continue reading South Vietnamese troops recapture palace at Hue 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 24 1968)

Vietnam-bound troops given send-off by LBJ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 17 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Tet [6/11]' (LBJ at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina at 5:08-5:15 p.m. EST on Feb. 17, 1968, at 31:21)

(Saturday, February 17, 1968, 5:08 p.m. EST/8:43 p.m. PST; during the Tet Offensive, part of the Vietnam War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. President Lyndon Johnson flew to Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina and El Toro Marine Air Station in California today to offer prayers and good wishes to paratroopers and marines as they strapped themselves into transports for bound for Vietnam. Continue reading Vietnam-bound troops given send-off by LBJ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 17 1968)

Robert F. Kennedy says U.S. cannot win Vietnam War 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 8 1968)


Video: '"KENNEDYS DON'T CRY" (1975)' (Feb. 8, 1968, at 1:14:13)

(Thursday, February 8, 1968; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York attacked today every important facet of the Johnson Administration’s policy in Vietnam, calling the President’s claims of progress “illusory” and denied that there was “any prospect” of an American military victory. Continue reading Robert F. Kennedy says U.S. cannot win Vietnam War 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 8 1968)

North Vietnamese launch first daylight attack at Khe Sanh 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 8 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - Tet! [7/13]' (Feb. 8, 1968, at 27:16)

(Thursday, February 8, 1968, 4:15 a.m. Saigon Standard Time; during Tet Offensive, part of the Vietnam War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Communist reinforcements launch the first daylight attack during the Battle of Khe Sanh, storming up hill 64 today just outside the Combat Base. The western half the outpost falls, but U.S. Marines counterattack and retake the hill. Continue reading North Vietnamese launch first daylight attack at Khe Sanh 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 8 1968)

Battle of Lang Vei begins in South Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 6 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - Tet! [7/13]' (Battle of Lang Vei at 25:47)

(Tuesday, February 6, 1968, 11:30 p.m. Saigon Standard Time; during the Tet Offensive, part of the Vietnam War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Communist North Vietnamese forces attacked the U.S. Special Forces Camp at Lang Vei late tonight in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, just six miles west of the Battle of Khe Sanh. Continue reading Battle of Lang Vei begins in South Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 6 1968)

U.S. Marines recapture key buildings in Hue 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 6 1968)


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - Tet! [7/13]' (Battle of Hue at 29:24)

(Tuesday, February 6, 1968; during the Tet Offensive, part of the Vietnam War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — A week into the Battle of Hue, five U.S. Marine companies recaptured some key buildings today, including a hospital, jail and provincial headquarters. Continue reading U.S. Marines recapture key buildings in Hue 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 6 1968)

LBJ declares Tet Offensive ‘a complete failure’ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 2 1968)


Video: 'Our World Winter 1968 Part 1' (Feb. 2, 1968, at 8:57)

(Friday, February 2, 1968, 12:05 p.m. EST; during the Tet Offensive, part of the Vietnam War, the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. President Lyndon Johnson said today that the Vietcong suffered “a complete failure” militarily throughout South Vietnam this week and he expressed confidence that as the facts became known the enemy would gain nothing psychologically either. Continue reading LBJ declares Tet Offensive ‘a complete failure’ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 2 1968)

Viet Cong prisoner executed on Saigon street 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 1 1968)


Video: '1968: The Execution of a Vietcong'

(Thursday, February 1, 1968, at around noon Saigon Standard Time; during the Tet Offensive, part of the Vietnam War, the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Saigon’s police chief, Brigadier General Nguyen Ngoc Loan, executed Nguyen Van Lem, a Viet Cong officer, with a pistol shot to the head at point-blank range today in a scene captured by news photographers. Continue reading Viet Cong prisoner executed on Saigon street 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 1 1968)

Main Tet Offensive operation begins in South Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 31 1968)


Video: 'Tet Offensive 1968, US Embassy & Saigon fighting'

(Wednesday, January 31, 1968, 3:00 a.m. Saigon Standard Time; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — After some sporadic attacks on bases the day before, the Tet Offensive was unleashed this morning by forces of the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese army on nearly all of South Vietnam’s military bases and major cities simultaneously, including the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. Continue reading Main Tet Offensive operation begins in South Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 31 1968)

Battle of Hue begins in South Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 31 1968)


Video: 'Battle of hue'

(Tuesday, January 31, 1968, 2:33 a.m. Saigon Standard Time; during the Tet Offensive, part of the Vietnam War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — The Battle of Hue, one of the bloodiest and longest battles of the Vietnam War, began this morning when two battalions from the North Vietnamese army attacked the western wall of the Citadel or Imperial City, the walled in portion of Hue sitting on the north bank of the Perfume River. Continue reading Battle of Hue begins in South Vietnam 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 31 1968)