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THE MILITARY DRAFT LOTTERY IN THE VIETNAM ERA
Objectives
Identify Characteristics of the Vietnam Era Draft
Develop an opinion about the legitimacy of a selective service draft
Use Primary sources to begin to understand what the war was like for soldiers
Where are the Troops Coming From?
Enlisting or Draft
Tradition of Service in America
Enlisting 18-35 yrs old (17 with consent)
Learn a trade, get away from home, prove yourself, poor-self advancement
A Little Draft History
Selective Service Act of 1940 First peace-time draft in U.S. Men ages 21-35 After Pearl Harbor 18-65 had to register
but 18-45 were liable for service
Draft Classifications
1A – Ready to go, First in Line
Others
Draft During WWII and Korean War
WWII - Over 10 million men inducted
1948 – new Selective Service Act (ages 19-26)
The 1948 law was the law that defined Vietnam draft.
During the 50’s and early 60’s men were being drafted on a ranked order
1950-1953 – 1.5 Million men
Draft Lottery for Vietnam
December 1, 1969 – First lottery since 1942
Determined call order for 1970 Based on birthdays for men who would
be ages 20 through 26 in 1970 (1944-1950)
Draft Video
Vietnam Lottery
366 Blue Capsules Radio, TV, and Film
Coverage September 14th and
June 8th 850,000 men were
affected First year, they called
195 Numbers 1970 Lottery for men
who would be 20 Find your own Draft N
umber Activity
Conscription by the Numbers
Conflict Inductions
WORLD WAR ONE1917 - 1918 2,666,867
WORLD WAR TWO1940 - 1946
(includes draftees before Pearl Harbor)
10,110,114
KOREAJune 1950 - June 1953 1,529,537
VIETNAMAug 1964 - Feb 1973 1,766,910
More Numbers
1968 296,406
1969 283,586
1970 162,746
1971 94,092
1972 49,514
1973 646
The draft ended on July 1, 1973
Draft Dodging Many people unhappy
about the draft College deferments,
medical conditions, fake?
Draft was unfair for the less wealthy?
100,000 people avoided the draft
50,000-70,000 to Canada
The Things They Carried
Not Quite Draft Dodging
Conscientious Objectors “Nothing contained in this Act shall be constructed to require
any person to be subject to combatant training and service in the land and naval forces of the United States who, by reason of religious training and belief, is conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form.”
“Any such person claiming such exemption from combatant training and service because of such conscientious objections whose claim is sustained by the local draft board shall, if he is inducted into the land or naval forces under this Act, be assigned to noncombatant service as defined by the President, or shall if he is found to be conscientiously opposed to participation in such noncombatant service, in lieu of such induction, be assigned to work of national importance under civilian direction.”
End of Conscription
Nixon wanted All-Volunteer Army
Did he bow to pressure?
Conscription ends July 1, 1973
Registration was suspended in 1975
Selective Service Today
Selective Service Still Exists Within 30 days of turning 18 Felony, 5 years in jail or $25,000 fine 91 % of American men aged 18-25 are
registered 96% of Draft Eligible men (20-25) are
registered Selective Service has 14 million names
and addresses on file of 18-25 year olds.
Selective Service Today
No one has been drafted since 1973 “Contingency Plan”
http://www.sss.gov/
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