"The USA had FINALLY gotten to the point of winning the damn war" Always the same illusion.... A last push... Victory in Vietnam was just an illusion as the political landscape wasn't change. The South Vietnamese disbanded (most of them, except the Rangers and few units). I saw it live on TV, with my veteran father (Indochina 1948-1951, 1er Chasseurs) commenting and couldn't believe his eyes of the debacle.
Click image for larger version.  Name: 11.jpg  Views: 71  Size: 109.3 KB  ID: 19235
The US like the French had the illusion of initiative. In the battle you mentioned, who initiated the battle? The Vietcong/NVA? Who break contact? The same...

The French won in Algeria, but de Gaulle still went to give independance, because reforms were not possible within the frame of 1963 agreements. The war would have re-started, because colonialism was dead.