The Vietcong (Vietnamese Communists) were the military branch of the National Liberation Front and were commanded by the Central Office for South Vietnam. The Vietcong were masters at moving through and blending into the local terrain. For the most part, Vietcong recruits were young teenagers. They doubted their ability to fight the American soldiers.
The Vietnam War became the most unpopular American War of the twentieth century. Nearly 40,000 American troops were sent to war in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was the biggest defeat the United States Army has ever faced. |
At first, Americans supported ending Communism. As more soldiers were killed, Americans' attitudes towards the war changed. Anti-war protests spread throughout the country. Americans believed that American involvement in this war was unnecessary.
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In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., with the names of 57,939 members of U.S. armed forces who had died or were missing as a result of the war. Over the following years, additional names have been added to the list. The total is now over 58,200.
During the Vietnam War, many soldiers sent letters home to their families. After the death of Curt Lemon, Rat Kiley sent a letter home to Lemon's sister. Her response was non-existent, which created some frustration for Kiley.