15 poignant photos that show what life was like during the Vietnam War

Horst Faas/AP

An unidentified US Army soldier wears a hand lettered "War Is Hell" slogan on his helmet.

The two-decade long war claimed the lives of more than 3 million people, with the majority of the casualties being Vietnamese civilians.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, here are some of the most gripping and recognizable photos from the conflict.

Editors note: Some of the following images are graphic in nature and may be disturbing to viewers.