What was the purpose of the battle of khe sanh?

Answer 1

The NVA siege at Khe Sanh was led by the same General Giap who defeated the French fourteen years earlier (in 1954) at Dien Bien Phu (located in North Vietnam), the French fought in both North and South Vietnam, because the country was NOT divided then. President Johnson was determined NOT to allow himself to be defeated with an American version of, "...no darn Dien Bien Phu's!" The US Marines were effectively cut off and surrounded by regular army units from the north. It became a battle of "will's" between President Johnson and General Giap. If Khe Sanh fell, President Johnson's war might be finished. So he specifically sent over US Army reinforcements directly from the US to reinforce the marines, with orders, "Khe Sanh will be held." The B-52's ultimately saved the marine base. The surrounding NVA units that had spent weeks digging trenches closer and closer to the defenders were cratered into the earth by the big bombers. General Giap withdrew his army from the field, the siege was over. Strategically, historians largely believe that the battle for Khe Sanh was a diversion to draw attention away from the build up for personnel and materiel across the country in preparation of the Tet Offensive.

Answer 2

The purpose of the Battle of Khe Sanh was to draw out enemy forces and destroy them ~ see related link below .