The Battle of Hué City, South Vietnam, 1968

On August 20, 2009, Lt. Gen. G. R. (Ron) Christmas, USMC (Ret.) delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "The Battle of Hué City, South Vietnam, 1968." The year 1968 marked a crucial turning point in the Vietnam War. During Tet, the lunar New Year holiday, the North Vietnamese and their Viet Cong allies staged attacks across South Vietnam, none more dramatic than the assault on Hué, the old imperial capital. The offensive ended in crippling military defeat for the attackers, and yet the strength of their assault led to a political setback for the United States, as critics at home gained traction and public support for the war eroded. Lt. Gen. G. R. (Ron) Christmas, USMC (Ret.), participated in the battle for Hué as a company commander and will present a first-hand account of the conflict. General Christmas is president and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. This lecture was part of the VHS commemoration of the Vietnam War era. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood) The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.