While fighting the Viet Cong and against the North Vietnamese, both had surprises against the U.S. which showed that they were more coordinated and also were a stronger force then anticipated. The fighting against the Viet Cong took a major toll on U.S. troops since the Viet Cong used guerilla tactics. The guerilla tactics would consist of ambushes, booby trapping roads or the outskirt of villages, and also the troops could not tell who was helping the Viet Cong. Villagers would make booby traps, house and feed, and also help the Viet Cong escape through complex underground tunnels. Without knowing who was helping the enemy, U.S. troops were becoming angered and started becoming angry when fighting started, started to use drugs, and moral declined.
Another surprise to the U.S. troops was the coordinated attack of the North Vietnamese called the "Tet offensive". The coordinated attack went across the country, attacking around 100 different South Vietnamese cities. The U.S. forces at the cities defended the attack but showed that they were facing a formidable foe that can make such a coordinated attack. After the coordinated attack of the North Vietnamese, President Johnson had to now face a angry country along with bad news from his military advisors that state war is escalating and can become worst for U.S. troops.
(http://history1900s.about.com/od/vietnamwar/a/vietnamwar_2.htm - "Surprise Attack" and "Life in the Jungle" )
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