US combat troops had been fighting
alongside the South Vietnamese forces
for approximately two years. North
Vietnamese leaders were creating plans
they hoped would end the war.
US TROOP STRENGTH BY YEAR
100,000
1961 ’62 ’63 ’64 ’65 ’66 ’67 ’68 ’69 ’70 ’71 ’72 ’73
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
Year
Number
of
soldiers
in
Vietnam
at
year-end
0
15
