Wars, like the Vietnam War brings to mind vast expanses of land where people give up their precious lives killing each other just so that the more powerful of the two wins and thus gets what is at stake. Painful, more for the families that lose a loved one but also for me as I read and hear about unknown people who sacrifice their bodies as well souls to give others peace of mind or a piece of land on which they stand and can thus call their own. Power, never ceases to amaze me for if used wrongly is nothing less than a large demon waiting to consume everyone that comes its way!

This cold war military war conflict better known as the Vietnam War occurred in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam from 1^st November 1955 and lasted till 15^th May 1975. The last official involvement of the US in the Vietnam War by marked by the Mayaguez incident. This incident involved the Khmer Rouge government in Cambodia in the year 1975. The Vietnam War was followed by the First Indochina War which involved North and South Vietnam. The Vietnam War like all others caused a great degree of pain and loss to families and the nation as a whole.

Vietnam War Facts

There are many facts about the Vietnam War and each of them has been listed here to increase your knowledge about the war that caused so much destruction.

• Out of the 2.59 million Americans that served in the Vietnam War 58,148 were killed while 304,000 were wounded.
• 23.11 years was the average age of those killed in the Vietnam War.
• Of the 50, 274 enlisted in the Vietnam War the average age was 22.37.
• In a year the average infantryman who served in the Vietnam War saw about 240 days of combat and that is all thanks to the mobility provided by a helicopter.
• It was after the Vietnam War that Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia stayed free of communism. It was in the year 1966 that the Indonesians expelled the Soviets.
• Out of all who served in Vietnam 74 percent said they would serve again.
• Among the Vietnam veterans 91 percent say that they are happy they served in this war.
• The average age of the 6,598 officers was 28.43.
• The national debt increased by $146 billion at this time. This amount was adjusted for inflation and was thus $500 billion in the year 1992.
• Out of those that served in the Vietnam War 1,276 were warrant officers whose average age was 24.73 years.
• About two thirds of the men who took part in the Vietnam War were volunteers.
• 36,725 South Vietnamese were assassinated while 58,499 were abducted by the National Liberation Front from the year 1957 to 1973. School teachers and minor officials were the ones mostly targeted by the death squads.
• Almost 500,000 to about 600,000 North Vietnamese were killed in the war.
• 8 nurses lost their lives in the Vietnam War out of which one was killed in action.
• During the Vietnam era, 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor.
• Almost 303,704 men were wounded in action in the Vietnam War.
• 17,539 of the men killed in the Vietnam War were married.
• Another fact about the Vietnam War reveals that 79 % of the men who served had a high school education or better when they decided to enter the military service.
• The oldest man who lost his life in the Vietnam War was 62 years old.
• Five 16 year old men were killed in the war.
• The total draftees from the 1965 to 1973 were 1,728,344.
• Among the Vietnam veteran 97% were honorably discharged.
• 66% of the Vietnam veterans voice that they would serve again if called upon.