Which outcome did Tet Offensive have on U.S. public opinion?

• A. Declining approval of LBJ and the war
• B. Increased support for escalation
• C. Immediate U.S. victory
• D. Peace negotiations stopped

Answer: (A)

The event tests how a major surprise attack can shift public mood about a long, unwinnable-feeling war. Even though U.S. and allied forces repelled the Tet Offensive and inflicted heavy losses on the attackers, the sheer scale and reach of the strikes—the fact that the enemy could strike in multiple cities and towns—made many Americans question claims that victory was near. That gap between what people were told and what they saw on television eroded trust in the government’s handling of the war, leading to a swing in opinion away from continued escalation and toward de-escalation and negotiated settlement. This shift helped drive President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declining approval ratings and contributed to the political move away from amping up the war effort.

The other scenarios don’t fit because Tet did not boost support for escalation; it exposed the fragility of the perceived progress. It also didn’t produce an immediate U.S. victory; it was a strategic debacle for the North in military terms but a political win for those opposing the war. And it didn’t stop peace negotiations; rather, it increased momentum toward seeking a settlement and brought renewed attention to negotiating the end of the war.