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/