without it, there would be no chinese food!
The statement that US history is not taught past the Vietnam War is not correct. US colleges and secondary schools have quite different US history boundaries. There is a mass of US history running past the War in Vietnam.
For the US, it's not anymore important than the other wars. Each war has it's own purpose in history.
South Africa had a rightwing govt, and supported the US invasion of Vietnam. Other than that. the conflict was of no concern to SAfrica
In the early 60s and 70s the Vietnam played an important role in the American history. They were involved in a number of fights that eventually helped the US become a world force to reckon.
The Vietnam war, for sure
around 1950
SEE: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and Statistics About the Vietnam War (Recommended by the History Channel).
See: Statistics About the Vietnam War. Recommended by the History Channel.
Some of the results of the war, was ending the draft, creating an all volunteer military and lowering the US voting age from 21 to 18.
It is an almost forgotten incident in US history.
Historians generally agree, that 1961 was the year in which the US became militarily involved in Vietnam. History may require a re-visit in this instance.
If your question is about the youngest US Servicemen killed in Vietnam; See: Statistics About the Vietnam War (on line); Recommended by the History Channel.