January 30, 1968 was the start of Tet, the Vietnamese New Year and typically a lull in fighting (a 2 day truce was called). Within hours 70,000 communist soldiers had attacked countless villages, 100 cities, 12 U.S. military bases, and the U.S. Embassy. The assault lasted over a month and ended with 40,000 communist soldiers dead and 2,000 American deaths. Even with considerable casualties for Vietcong – they were more determined than ever to continue fighting. The Tet Offensive would be a turning point in the Vietnam War.