The Vietnam War Divides the Nation
American involvement in Vietnam escalated from 1955 until the 1975 fall of Saigon. The conflict cost 58,000 American lives and divided the country between hawks and doves. Television brought battlefield images directly into American homes for the first time. Mass protests erupted on college campuses nationwide. The Pentagon Papers revealed government deception about the war. Military failure forced a reassessment of American power limits and global commitments.
