Year U.S. Military Personnel in Vietnam Killed by Hostile Action (end of year or half-year) 1964 23,300 147 1965 184,000 1,369 1966 385,000 5,008 1967 486,000 9,378 1968 537,000 14,592 1969 (first half) 539,000 6,340 (second half) 474,000 3,074 1970 336,000 4,221 1971 158,000 1,380 1972 24,000 300
Comparison: As of January 21, 2010, the total number of American military personnel who had been killed by hostile action in Iraq was 3,478.
1967 January 520 February 662 March 944 April 710 May 1,233 June 830 July 781 August 535 September 775 October 733 November 881 December 774 1968 January 1,202 February 2,124 March 1,543 April 1,410 May 2,169 June 1,146 July 813 August 1,080 September 1,053 October 600 November 703 December 749 1969 January 795 February 1,073 March 1,316 April 847 May 1,209 June 1,100 July 638 August 795 September 477 October 446 November 341 December
Yes No
May 1965 26% 52%
Nov 1965 21% 64%
July-Aug 1967 41% 48%
Dec 1967 46% 44%
Dec 1968 49% 41%
Dec 1969 52% 39%
May 1970 56% 36%
Around the beginning of May 1971, a Lou Harris poll found that a substantial majority of the American people (58% to 29%) believed that it was "morally wrong" for the US to be fighting in Vietnam. Only a bare plurality (42% to 39%), however, felt that a coalition government in South Vietnam that included Communists would be acceptable, if this were the only way to achieve peace. (Source: Washington Post, May 3, 1971, A14.)
Yes No
Mar 2003 23% 75%
Nov 2003 39% 60%
Jun 2004 41% 58%
Jun 2004 54% 44%
Sep 2004 42% 55%
Jan 2005 52% 47%
Feb 2005 47% 51%
Aug 2005 53% 46%
Jun 2006 51% 46%
Jul 2006 56% 41%
Sep 2006 49% 49%
Dec 2006 53% 45%
Feb 2007 56% 42%
Mar 2007 59% 39%
All statements in this web page represent my own opinions. They could not very well be the opinions of Clemson University, which does not have opinions on these subjects. --Edwin E. Moise
Last modified January 22, 2010.