Outlays by the United States federal government were roughly evenly split between military and non-military uses in the early years of the Vietnam War. Both military and non-military spending increased from 1966 until 1969, as the U.S. military was engaged in the heaviest phases of fighting in the war, and as President Lyndon B. Johnson's 'Great Society' social programs came into effect. As the conflict in Southeast Asia began to die down after 1970, military expenditures were drastically curtailed, while other forms of government spending continued to increase into the 1970s.
United States federal government military and non-military spending during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975
(as a share of GDP)
Characteristic
Military spending
Non-military spending
1975
5.5%
11.7%
1974
5.9%
11.6%
1973
6.7%
11.5%
1972
7.3%
10.7%
1971
8.1%
9.8%
1970
8.7%
9.3%
1969
9.4%
9.8%
1968
8.8%
9.3%
1967
7.7%
8.9%
1966
7.4%
8.6%
1965
8.5%
8.7%
1964
8.9%
8.4%
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Spending as a percent of GDP8.9%8.9%8.5%8.5%7.4%7.4%7.7%7.7%8.8%8.8%9.4%9.4%8.7%8.7%8.1%8.1%7.3%7.3%6.7%6.7%5.9%5.9%5.5%5.5%8.4%8.4%8.7%8.7%8.6%8.6%8.9%8.9%9.3%9.3%9.8%9.8%9.3%9.3%9.8%9.8%10.7%10.7%11.5%11.5%11.6%11.6%11.7%11.7%Military spendingNon-military spending196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975
0%2.5%5%7.5%10%12.5%15%
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CRS. (July 29, 2008). United States federal government military and non-military spending during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975 (as a share of GDP) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 18, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334861/vietnam-war-us-government-spending/
CRS. "United States federal government military and non-military spending during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975 (as a share of GDP)." Chart. July 29, 2008. Statista. Accessed May 18, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334861/vietnam-war-us-government-spending/
CRS. (2008). United States federal government military and non-military spending during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975 (as a share of GDP). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 18, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334861/vietnam-war-us-government-spending/
CRS. "United States Federal Government Military and Non-military Spending during The Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975 (as a Share of Gdp)." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Jul 2008, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334861/vietnam-war-us-government-spending/
CRS, United States federal government military and non-military spending during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975 (as a share of GDP) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334861/vietnam-war-us-government-spending/ (last visited May 18, 2025)
United States federal government military and non-military spending during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1975 (as a share of GDP) [Graph], CRS, July 29, 2008. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334861/vietnam-war-us-government-spending/
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