 During the second half of 1967 the administration had become alarmed by criticism , both inside and outside the government , and by reports of declining public support for its Vietnam policies . According to public opinion polls , the percentage of Americans who believed that the U.S. had made a mistake by sending troops to Vietnam had risen from 25 percent in 1965 to 45 percent by December 1967 . This trend was fueled not by a belief that the struggle was not worthwhile , but by mounting casualty figures , rising taxes , and the feeling that there was no end to the war in sight . A poll taken in November indicated that 55 percent wanted a tougher war policy , exemplified by the public belief that " it was an error for us to have gotten involved in Vietnam in the first place . But now that we 're there , let 's win – or get out . " This prompted the administration to launch a so @-@ called " Success Offensive " , a concerted effort to alter the widespread public perception that the war had reached a stalemate and to convince the American people that the administration 's policies were succeeding . Under the leadership of National Security Advisor Walt W. Rostow , the news media then was inundated by a wave of effusive optimism . 
