The major battle that marked the high point of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War was the Tet Offensive, launched in January 1968. This surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces during the lunar new year celebration targeted numerous cities and military bases in South Vietnam, including the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. Although the offensive was ultimately a military failure for the Communists, it shocked the American public and contradicted official statements that the U.S. was winning the war. As a result, anti-war sentiment surged in the U.S. and shifted public perception significantly, leading to a gradual withdrawal of American troops.