The War Front

In 1969, the percentage of Americans who personally knew someone who had been wounded or killed in Vietnam: 52%³²

Estimated Number of U.S. Combat Troops in Vietnam

By the end of 1965: 200,000²¹
By the end of 1966:
389,000²²

U.S. Combat Troops: Casualties

Killed in Vietnam in 1966 alone: 6,000²³
Wounded in Vietnam in 1966 alone: 30,000²⁴

Total American Deaths

Total number of American deaths reported in the Vietnam War: 58,193
American deaths reported in North Vietnam during the war: 1,124
American deaths reported in South Vietnam during the war: 55,629²⁵

Year in which the highest number of American deaths were reported in Vietnam: 1968 (16,592 deaths reported)²⁷

The age at which a U.S. serviceman was most likely to die in the Vietnam War: 20²⁸

Race and Gender Statistics

African-American servicemen deaths as a percentage of all Vietnam War deaths: 12.5%²⁹
In 1970, African-American population in the United States as a percentage of the entire population: 11%³⁰

Total number of American female deaths reported in the Vietnam War: 8³¹

Vietnamese Deaths

The estimated number of Vietnamese deaths—military and civilian from both sides of the struggle—between 1965 and 1975: 1 million (However, some sources estimate 2 million; the Vietnamese government estimates 3.1 million war deaths.)²⁶

Presidential Elections

Election of 1964

Democratic candidate Lyndon B. Johnson wins with an electoral college majority of 486, defeating his Republican opponent, Barry M. Goldwater. Johnson wins the popular vote by a whopping 43 million popular votes, nearly 58% of total votes cast.³³

Election of 1968

Republican candidate Richard M. Nixon wins with an Electoral College majority of 301, defeating his Democratic opponent, Hubert H. Humphrey. Nixon narrowly wins the popular vote by just over 500,000 votes.³⁴

Election of 1972

Richard M. Nixon is reelected with an Electoral College majority of 520, crushing his anti-war Democratic opponent, George S. McGovern. This time, Nixon wins 47 million popular votes, 61% of total votes cast._³⁵

Public Opinion

According to a Gallup Poll, the percentage of Americans who thought the U.S. made a mistake sending troops to fight in Vietnam:

August 1965: 24%
March 1966: 26%
May 1966: 36%
November 1966: 31%
January 1967: 32%
April 1967: 37%
July 1967: 41%
October 1967: 47%
December 1967: 44%
February 1968: 46%
April 1968: 48%
August 1968: 53%
September 1968: 54%
January 1969: 52%
September 1969: 55%
January 1970: 52%
April 1970: 51%
May 1970: 56%
January 1971: 59%
May 1971: 50%
January 1973: 60%
January 1993: 68%
April 1995: 71%
November 2000: 68%²⁰