br 10 Sobering Facts about the Vietnam Warbr br How much do you know about the most unpopular war in US history? Explore the conflict abroad and at home with our fascinating facts about the Vietnam War.br br 1. The Vietnam War was an ideological struggle between the communist North and the more conservative South, backed by the U.S., who feared Northern victory would lead to the spread of communism through Indochina.br br 2. The United States won virtually every major battle, but it still lost the war through a combination of factors such as political restrictions on military activity, a lack of sufficient understanding of the Vietnamese people, and U.S. social backlash.br br 3. In total, 8,744,000 U.S. combat troops fought in the Vietnam War. 58,220 died. From all countries involved,1.3 million military combatants died, and over 1 million Vietnamese civilians.br Photo Credit: SeanPavonePhoto iStockbr br 4. The Vietnam War was the most unpopular war in American history. Television coverage of the war, a new phenomenon at the time, played a large role in souring U.S. public opinion on the conflict.br br 5. The guerilla nature of the fighting in Vietnam often made it difficult to tell combatants and civilians apart, leading to gruesome civilian massacres, such as the My Lai massacre where American troops gunned down over 500 civilians.br br 6. In 1971, The New York Times printed leaked government information on the Vietnam War to the American public. These “Pentagon Papers” contained information about U.S. political manipulation of South Vietnam and pessimistic reports about the winnability of the war, sparking social outrage.br br 7. The standard rifle used by U.S. ground troops was the M-16 rifle, while the communist forces used Russian-made AK-47s. The M-16 was less durable and generally inferior to the AK-47, which U.S. soldiers would take from fallen foes.br br 8. Pits filled with spiked bamboo and covered over with leaves, called "punji pits," were common hazards faced by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam.br br 9. To this day, children in Vietnam are being born with horrific birth defects from the lingering effects of “Agent Orange,” an herbicide used by the U.S. military to destroy forest cover used by Viet Cong forces.br br 10. A federal study of Vietnam war veterans in 2015 found that nearly 300,000 veterans suffer from daily health problems, whether physical or emotional, as a result of their experiences in the war.br br Check out more interesting Vietnam War facts here: br FactRetriever is a leading producer of the most interesting facts, online video content, and a plethora of fascinating topics.