Final answer:
The major escalation in the Vietnam War was the Tet Offensive, a surprise attack launched by the Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces in February and March 1968. Although it was a North Vietnamese loss, the scale of the attacks on cities and bases shocked the American public and caused a shift in public opinion about the war.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major escalation in the Vietnam War that occurred in February and March of 1968, covered by television and perceived as horrible despite being a North Vietnamese loss, was the Tet Offensive. The Tet Offensive was a surprise attack launched by the Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces on January 30th, 1968, during the Vietnamese New Year known as Tet. Although the attacks were not a military success for the North Vietnamese, the scale of the attacks on cities and bases shocked the American public and caused a shift in public opinion about the war.