Index/Topics/Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War and the anti-war sentiment it provoked, including protests and distrust of the draft system.

Fact-Checks

9 results
Jan 8, 2026
Most Viewed

What Cold War covert operations linked the CIA to drug trafficking?

Cold War covert operations that tied U.S. intelligence activity to narcotics trafficking fall into recurring patterns: alliances with anti‑communist proxies who were themselves involved in drug trade,...

Jan 12, 2026
Most Viewed

How do historians define a 'war' versus a military intervention for counting presidential wars?

Historians distinguish “war” from “military intervention” by reference to scale, intent, duration, parties and political commitment: classic definitions see war as an intentional, widespread armed con...

Jan 18, 2026

What prominent celebrities or politicians born 1944–1950 drew low draft numbers in 1969—who were affected and how did it change their lives?

The December 1, 1969 draft lottery assigned sequence numbers to men born between 1944 and 1950 to determine induction order for 1970, a change meant to reduce perceived bias in the pre‑lottery system ...

Jan 11, 2026

How did Trump's military service history compare to other prominent public figures of his generation?

Donald Trump did not serve in the U.S. military and received multiple draft classifications and deferments during the Vietnam era—facts that placed his record at odds with many high‑profile contempora...

Jan 11, 2026

Did President serve in Vietnam and if not why not

No American president has been a veteran of the Vietnam War; the current president did not serve in Vietnam, a fact shaped by timing, draft rules and common deferments during the era . Contemporary pr...

Jan 10, 2026

Which presidential administrations used deception as a policy tool and why?

American presidents across eras have used deception as a policy tool — from George Washington’s private evasions through the Vietnam, Watergate and post‑9/11 eras to the Trump administration’s prolifi...

Jan 9, 2026

Impact of the 1969 draft lottery on Vietnam War enlistments

The 1969 draft lottery reshaped who served in Vietnam more than how many served: it converted uncertain, uneven local draft practices into a national ordering that altered incentives to volunteer, cha...

Jan 9, 2026

Did Bill Clinton receive a draft deferment or medical exemption during the Vietnam War?

Bill Clinton did not receive a medical exemption from the Vietnam War draft; his avoidance of combat service resulted from a sequence of student deferments, changing Selective Service classifications,...

Jan 8, 2026

What deferments or medical classifications did Joe Biden receive during the Vietnam draft and why?

Joe Biden received five student deferments while in college and law school and, after a physical exam on April 5, 1968, was given a Selective Service medical classification of 1‑Y because of a history...