21 January - The Battle of Khe Sanh began in 1968

 

The Battle of Khe Sanh was a significant engagement during the Vietnam War and took place in and around the Khe Sanh Combat Base in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. The battle is often associated with the broader Tet Offensive, a series of coordinated attacks launched by North Vietnamese forces against South Vietnam and its allies.

The siege of Khe Sanh began on 21 January 1968, and it lasted for about 77 days, making it one of the longest and most intense battles of the Vietnam War. The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) surrounded the Khe Sanh Combat Base, which was held by U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, and South Vietnamese forces.

The primary objectives of the NVA were to tie down U.S. forces and divert attention from other areas during the Tet Offensive. The U.S. forces, aware of the strategic importance of Khe Sanh and fearing a repeat of the French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, heavily fortified the base.

The battle involved intense fighting, heavy artillery bombardments, and air strikes. The U.S. and South Vietnamese forces successfully held the Khe Sanh Combat Base, and the siege was lifted in April 1968. Despite the tactical victory for the U.S. and its allies, the battle raised questions about the overall U.S. strategy in Vietnam and the cost of maintaining such heavily fortified positions.

The Battle of Khe Sanh became a symbol of the challenges and complexities of the Vietnam War, illustrating the difficulties faced by both sides in a conflict characterized by guerrilla warfare and unconventional tactics.