Although the IA Drang was different than TET ..it is a key comparison point in the overall scope..that being Giaps move to create an uprising from the souths populace which would be like a wave to overwhelm U.S. command.
A failure at IA Drang could have..could have seen a chaotic fall back akin to what occured in the Korean war.
Reaction and recovery is everything in war...failure in this regard requires force projection several times to effect a return to what was..and here..this outcome is still an unknown.
losses are the tally in this regard of reaction and recovery.
In WW-2....untold numbers of *Hundreds of thousands of Russians perished ,,just reacting and overcomming the German military offensive at Stalingrad.
The U.S. losses during IA Drang counted to the last individual.
Failure at IA DranG could have changed the scope of Vietnam..and if the fickle politician had behaved in 65 like thay did later...the picture of the U.S. defeated and sent packing quickly would have shocked the world and ruined Americas credibility in the cause to stall communisms advance.
IA Drang may seem a little action comparred to so many of the battles of the Vietnam war...yet it was zenith in its message and success.
Americas soldier had the needed character...America would fight!