The Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia between 1955 and 1975. The war was officially between North Vietnam and South Vietnam, but became a proxy war between the Soviet Union (supporting communist North Vietnam) and the United States (supporting democratic South Vietnam). The 1954 Geneva Conference gave the United States financial and military responsibility for South Vietnam, and, in 1964, after a decade of unrest and guerilla warfare, the United States Congress passed a resolution giving President Lyndon B. Johnson authority to increase US military presence in Vietnam without a declaration of war. On December 1, 1969, the US Selective Service held the first draft lottery since 1942, and draft lotteries continued regularly until 1973. The US withdrew its military following the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, but the war continued until 1975. North and South Vietnam were officially reunified on July 2, 1976.

The draft, along with tremendous casualties and war crimes on both sides, led to a strong anti-war movement in the United States, particularly on college campuses. It is estimated that 1-3 million soldiers and civilians were killed during the war, and even more as a result of ecological devestation, attempts to flee the conflict, long term effects of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange, and subsequent related conflicts.

Sources:

"Vietnam Lotteries," Selective Service System. https://www.sss.gov/history-and-records/vietnam-lotteries/. Accessed September 19, 2024.

"Vietnam War," Wikipedia, September 19, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War