20 years ago I read a book that Gen Giap wrote on the war from his viewpoint. He admits he believed the North had lost the war after Tet. The Viet Cong was destroyed and remaining VC elements were absorbed into the NVA. The NVA by Giap’s own estimate was only 30% combat effective after Tet. He was completely shocked by the reaction of the US media.
Exactly right.