What is the main message of Hue 1968?

The main message of Hue 1968 is a gripping account of the Battle of Hue during the Vietnam War.

Who is the author of Hue 1968?

The author of Hue 1968 is Mark Bowden.

History

Hue 1968 Book Summary - Hue 1968 Book explained in key points

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Hue 1968 summary

Name: Hue 1968
Rating: 4.4 (64 reviews)
Author: Mark Bowden

Mark Bowden

A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam

4.4 (64 ratings)

28 mins

Brief summary

'Hue 1968' by Mark Bowden is a compelling narrative of one of the deadliest battles of the Vietnam War. It reveals the complexities of warfare and the human toll on both sides.

Topics

Wars Asian History The Cold War US Politics US History Colonialism & Imperialism

Table of Contents

Hue 1968
Summary of 12 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 12

What’s in it for me? Read about the battle that defined the Vietnam War.

Since its end in 1975, the Vietnam War continues to retain a special place in the American psyche, and indeed internationally. To many, the war symbolized the futility of the US’s cold war policy.

The continued resistance of North Vietnamese troops coupled with the massive loss of American lives was taken as proof that the US attempt to prevent the spread of Communism by force was futile.

And yet, this wasn’t always the view. Before 1968, the Vietnam War had been largely supported across the United States. Many saw it as a just, and winnable war.

It was largely the result of one battle, for the ancient city of Hue, that turned public opinion against the Vietnam War. These blinks explain this battle and its effects on US military strategy and American politics.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how anti-war sentiment ruined Lyndon B. Johnson’s career;
some basic strategies for urban warfare; and
the symbolism of the flag raised above Hue by the Communists.

The Vietnam War was rooted in the region’s colonial history.

More than 40 years since it came to a close, the horrors of the Vietnam War remain etched into our collective memory, a proxy for the Cold War at large. But that’s not all there was to it. In fact, the reasons for the conflict go much further back.

The French had ruled over what are now Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia under the name of French Indochina since the nineteenth century. As empires crumbled in the aftermath of the Second World War, the French were faced with increasing cries for national self-determination in their colonies.

Specifically, in Vietnam, the French found themselves fighting against the Viet Minh, a revolutionary pro-independence organization led by Ho Chi Minh. This First Indochina War lasted from 1946 to 1954.

Even though the French military was backed by US advisors and weaponry after 1950, it was the Viet Minh who doggedly managed to gain the upper hand.

Eventually in Geneva in 1954, both sides agreed to peace accords. The French would leave, while Vietnam would become de facto independent. However, the country would be temporarily split in two at the seventeenth parallel. North Vietnam would exist as a communist state while South Vietnam would be a republic backed by the French and Americans.

The 1956 elections were intended to put an end to this temporary division so that the countries could be united as their people wished.

However, the South Vietnamese government reneged on the Geneva agreement when it became clear which way the wind was blowing. In fact, US President Eisenhower estimated the Communists would muster around 80 percent of the vote.

No election was held: the US rallied behind South Vietnam because it was a Western-style republic and could help contain the spread of communism from the northern Communist state.

It was this decision that led to the Viet Minh, now renamed the Viet Cong, launching a campaign of armed resistance in South Vietnam. To them, their neighbors to the south were a non-democratic, Western puppet state.

It seemed certain that the unpopular and weak South Vietnamese government would capitulate to the Viet Cong. An American intervention and the arrival of US troops became inevitable.

American involvement in Vietnam evolved into all-out war, but with little success.

The American intervention soon spiraled out beyond its original remit, especially under President Kennedy and his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ). Both were opposed to Communist expansion, but it was LBJ who dramatically increased troop numbers after his predecessor’s assassination in 1963.

Ground operations had officially begun in 1965 to support the expansive bombing campaigns which had commenced the year before. These strikes were already killing an estimated 1,000 Vietnamese civilians every week. Staggeringly, by the end of 1967, more bombs had fallen on Vietnam than on Europe during the whole of World War II.

By January 1968, both sides were wrongly convinced that each would soon achieve victory.

In July 1967, General Westmoreland, known as “Westy,” informed the press that he was as optimistic as he’d ever been since arriving in Vietnam in 1963.

He remained convinced that because casualties were increasing on the North Vietnamese side, US–South Vietnamese forces were in the ascendency, and Hanoi would be forced to capitulate.

The Tet Offensive against the city of Hue involved meticulous and clandestine planning.

Hue had, up to that point in the war, been relatively unaffected, despite its central position close to the seventeenth parallel, and despite being the third most important city in both countries thanks to its status as a center of learning and culture.

Hue had even been the base of Vietnamese power for over a century prior to the French colonial period. Its imperial citadel was well-fortified. But, more pertinently, it was symbolically important to the Vietnamese nation.

The Tet Offensive began on the night of January 30, 1968.

In 1968, the Vietnamese New Year, known as Tet, fell on January 30 and 31. A truce was normally observed over the holiday period so that both nations could celebrate.

Hanoi had different plans. The regime knew that an attack timed to coincide with Tet would catch the Americans and South Vietnamese unprepared.

After Hue was taken, the people’s uprising failed to transpire.

The attack on Hue was a major component of the Tet Offensive. But other planned assaults, including a foolhardy attack on the US embassy in Saigon, had not gone nearly so well.

Hue, however, still represented a major prize, and so, in the hours after the city was taken, Communist troops massed there for the imminent and inevitable American counterattack.

US military command vastly underestimated the strength of the Northern attack on Hue.

From the moment the South Vietnamese tanks were blown sky high, it was clear to the US Marines stationed at Phu Bai, a few miles from Hue, that something was amiss.

This was confirmed when the American compound in Hue radioed to signal they were under attack and in need of reinforcements.

Journalists like Gene Roberts revealed the truth of the situation in Hue.

It wasn’t just the US military command who refused to acknowledge the full extent of the Communist attack on Hue. It had gone almost unnoticed in the outside world too. Instead, the media’s focus had been drawn to the daring Viet Cong attack on the US embassy in Saigon.

It was the thanks to the brave work of Gene Roberts, a New York Times journalist, that news of Hue finally emerged.

The American and South Vietnamese counterattack finally began to make headway.

The fighting in Hue continued apace. By February 3, the Americans had succeeded in capturing one further city block. But 100 American soldiers had died in the three days since the city had been captured by the Communist forces.

Something more was needed. Consequently, US commanders decided on a three-pronged attack to retake the city. Firstly, the Communist supply lines in the countryside around Hue would be disrupted. Secondly, the marines would lead an assault on southern Hue. Finally, the South Vietnamese would attack the Citadel.

The Battle of Hue marked a turning point in American public support for the Vietnam War.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, public opinion of the Vietnam War began to shift. Although the anti-war movement had slowly been growing since the war’s beginning, it was the images and news broadcasts from Hue that turned the tide.

It could almost be said that by 1967, anti-war sentiment was fashionable, as celebrities such as Muhammad Ali and the Beach Boys’ Carl Wilson announced their opposition.

Hue’s ancient Citadel was finally retaken on February 25, 1968.

As the sun fell on February 7, the Americans had control of 70 blocks in southern Hue.

By February 11, southern Hue and the triangular area of government buildings were more or less in American hands.

After the Battle of Hue, it was only a matter of time before the United States withdrew.

Although the battle for Hue was won, this Pyrrhic victory signaled the beginning of the end for US involvement in Vietnam.

The public was shocked by the scale of the destruction.

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What is Hue 1968 about?

The Vietnam War is remembered as one of the longest and bloodiest conflicts of the twentieth century. At the end of 1967, the US government was assuring the public the war was almost won; by February 1968, that was no longer the case. In Hue 1968 (2017) Mark Bowden examines the battle in the city of Hue which changed the way the American public viewed the war.

Hue 1968 Review

Hue 1968 (2017) by Mark Bowden is an immersive account of the Tet Offensive, offering a unique perspective on the Vietnam War. Here's why this book is worth reading:

Through detailed research and interviews, it brings to life the experiences of soldiers, journalists, and civilians, providing a comprehensive understanding of the conflict.
The book offers a nuanced portrayal of the complexities of war and the human stories behind it, making it a captivating and thought-provoking read.
With its engaging narrative style and vivid descriptions, it keeps readers hooked from start to finish, ensuring that history comes alive and never feels boring.

Best quote from Hue 1968

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price [...]to assure the survival and the success of liberty. – JFK

—Mark Bowden

Who should read Hue 1968?

Anyone interested in modern American history
Students of politics or international relations
Soldiers and veterans

About the Author

Mark Bowden is an American author and journalist. His work has been published in the New Yorker, the Atlantic and Rolling Stone. He is also the author of Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War.

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