The Vietnam War (1955–74) was one of the most divisive conflicts in U.S. history. Large numbers of Hispanics served in the U.S. military during the war, which became increasingly unpopular the longer it lasted. The United States first deployed troops to Vietnam in November 1955 in an effort to prevent communist North Vietnam from taking over South Vietnam. The number of soldiers increased to a peak of more than 500,000 in 1969 as the United States struggled to find a way to win the war. More than 58,000 Americans were killed in the war, with over 300,000 wounded. Estimates are that 3,070 Hispanics were killed during the conflict, or about 5.2 percent of the total killed.