The 1968 Tết Offensive was the brainchild of Communist Party Secretary Lêê Duẩn and General Văn Tiến Dũũng. The Hàà Nội government wanted to exploit the 1968 US presidential elections by opening negotiations with the United States. When General Võõ Nguyêên Giááp failed to devise a workable plan to win a military victory to give the communists leverage in the planned negotiations, Lêê Duẩn and Văn Tiến Dũũng pushed the risky plan for a nationwide "general offensive" through a reluctant Politburo in spite of opposition from General Võõ Nguyêên Giááp and Hồ Chíí Minh.
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