Tet Offensive attack on the United States embassy

Tet Offensive attack on the United States embassy
Part of The Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War
The embassy after the attack
Date 31 January 1968 Location Embassy of the United States, Saigon, South Vietnam 10.7833°N 106.7004°E / 10.7833; 106.7004 Result US military victory Viet Cong propaganda victory
Belligerents
United States	Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
Lt Col. Gordon D. Rowe Captain Robert J. O'Brien	Bay Tuyen † Ut Nho †
Units involved
716th Military Police Battalion Marine Security Guard Battalion	C-10 Sapper Battalion
Strength
Initially 3 Marine security guards 2 MPs	15 sappers
Casualties and losses
5 killed	12 killed 3 captured

On 31 January 1968, a 15-man Viet Cong (VC) sapper team attempted to seize the embassy of the United States in Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, at the start of the VC's Tet Offensive. While the VC successfully penetrated the embassy compound, they were unable to enter the chancery building and were pinned down by security forces, with the three survivors eventually surrendering to US forces. Notwithstanding the attack's failure it had a profound political and psychological impact in the United States.