Turning Points
in Wisconsin History
Vietnam and Opposition at Home
During the Vietnam War, more than 58,000 Americans died and more than 300,000 were wounded. The United States entered the war incrementally between 1950 and 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson began aggressively bombing North Vietnam and sent U.S. Marines to defend South Vietnam. The U.S. became involved in the war for a number of reasons, many of which evolved over time. Increased U.S. involvement was matched by a rise of antiwar protest in the 1960s, as dissenting groups formed at many of the nation's universities, including University of Wisconsin campuses. In the early 1960s, however, the majority of Americans supported... more...