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BATTLE // Jan–Jul 1968

Khe Sanh

Quang Tri Province · 16.655, 106.728

Cartographic map of the Khe Sanh
via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Overview

The Battle of Khe Sanh was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Quảng Trị Province, Republic of Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. The main US forces defending Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB) were two regiments of the United States Marine Corps supported by elements from the United States Army, the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), as well as a small number of Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) troops. These were pitted against two to three divisional-size elements of the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN).

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

Siege framed Tet-era perception

Result

U.S./South Vietnamese base held

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • United States45,000
    medium
  • Viet Cong40,000
    medium

United States fielded a 1.1 : 1 numerical advantage

Casualties

  • United States2,541
    medium6% loss rate
  • Viet Cong1,602
    medium4% loss rate
Order of battle →Casualties in detail →

Commanders (6)

United States

Viet Cong

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Related

6 sibling battles · 7 factions

Last verified May 2026
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