The military for the National Liberation Front (NLF) were composed both by regular units associated with the North Vietnam army and also by irregulars. The word “vietcong” ended up being used as a generic term for NLF soldiers, however in typical iconography it represents the irregular guerrillas. The vietcong had been armed with Soviet-produced tools such as the ubiquitous AK-47 Kalašnikov attack rifle, or the semi-automatic SKS carbine. In January 1968, they took part into the massive Tet Offensive during the night associated with Vietnamese New Year.
