The Vietnam War went on much longer than most are aware - from 1955 to 1975. It was essentially an unsuccessful effort by South Vietnam and the United States to prevent the communists of North Vietnam from uniting South Vietnam with North Vietnam under their communist leadership. The first US troops were sent into Vietnam in 1965 and escalated heavily through 1969 - by the end of '69, there were over 543,000 American soldiers on the ground, of these, many were Black Americans.
					The American Experience - Vietnam Spartacus - Vietnam War The Vietnam War Declassification Project, April 2000 Vietnam War @ Encarta Encyclopedia
			The Black Panther party had directly opposed the involvement of Black men in the Vietnam War in the Ten-Point Platform. As it states: "We want all Black men to be exempt from military service. We believe that Black people should not be forced to fight in the military service to defend a racist government that does not protect us. We will not fight and kill other people of color in the world who, like Black people, are being victimized by the White racist government of America."
		Copyright 2002 Luna Ray Films, LLC. All Rights Reserved | Design by Fresh Karma