In January 1968, the North Vietnamese Army, along with Viet Cong rebels, launched surprise attacks on cities and military bases throughout South Vietnam. The military campaign was timed to launch during Tet, the Vietamese new year. Fighting alongside the South Vietnamese, U.S. soldiers battled for days. Thousands of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers were killed, and no South Vietnamese cities were lost to the enemy. Yet the severity of the attacks shocked the Americans back home and caused many to turn against continuing the war.