The Siege of Khe Sanh began January 20, and continued for 77 days.

Khe Sanh was located about seven miles from Laos, close to the North Vietnam border. Khe Sanh was almost completely surrounded by ridges and stood in the center of four valley corridors leading through the mountains to the north and northwest of the base. To the south Khe Sanh overlooked Route Nine, the only east-west road in the area. The base itself was laid out on a flat plateau. It was shaped somewhat like an …

…and it was now apparent to the North Vietnamese Army that there was nothing they could do to bring down the United States Marines at the base. At this point the North Vietnamese Army divisions were recalled and the battle slowly ended. At the end of the battle, there were 8,000 North Vietnamese casualites. 51 United States Marines Killed in Action, 42 United States Army Killed in Action, 33 Army of the Republic of Vietnam troops Killed in Action.