Hi, How should I start my introduction for this essay question - what should I consider when laying out my intro

Question

Q: Evaluate the view that the Tet Offensive was a victory for the United States and Republic of Vietnam

Answer 1

Building off what Jeffrey Z. wrote, I would say you should begin by stating your thesis somewhere in the first paragraph. The offensive was a tactical victory for the United States and South Vietnam in that the North Vietnamese/Viet Cong failed to secure any gains and lost a huge number of their best soldiers. However, televised images of the US Embassy in Saigon being temporarily overrun, in particular, undercut the US government’s public claims that the war was nearly won. The disconnect between what the American people were being told and what they were now seeing fed increased suspicion toward US involvement in Vietnam. The offensive was thus, at the macro or strategic level, a North Vietnamese victory in that it furthered their war aim of driving out the Americans.

Answer 2

Hi Ethan! The 1968 Tet Offensive was what many believe, to be a turning point in the Vietnam War. Because of heavy losses to that point in the war, the North Vietnamese and Vietcong believed the only way to win was to launch a huge military offensive which included many surprise attacks. The United States and South Vietnamese were able to pull out the victory most of the time, however, this was a big psychological blow to the U.S. and South Vietnam who believed the war was almost over. Because so many believed the war was almost over and the North Vietnamese and Vietcong were not capable of such an offensive, American public support started to decline.