How did people feel about the Vietnam draft?

While many soldiers did support the war, at least initially, to others the draft seemed like a death sentence: being sent to a war and fight for a cause that they did not believe in. Antiwar activists viewed the draft as immoral and the only means for the government to continue the war with fresh soldiers.

What does it mean when you get drafted for war?

The draft is officially known as the selective service. Basically, this means that if we ever have a national emergency or war that the all-volunteer military can’t adequately support, Congress and the president can reinstate the draft and force male citizens to serve in the military.

What happens if you refuse to go to war when drafted?

What Happens If You Don’t Register for Selective Service. If you are required to register and you do not, you will not be eligible for state-based student aid in many states, federal job training, or a federal job. You may be prosecuted and face a fine of up to $250,000 and jail time of up to five years.

How did American youth react to the Vietnam War draft?

Since the draft loomed over students’ futures and provided an avenue for direct resistance to war on an individual level, much student activism was concerned with the draft. Beginning in 1964, students began burning their draft cards as acts of defiance.

Was the draft in ww2?

On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. Once the U.S. entered WWII, draft terms extended through the duration of the fighting. …

What is the purpose of the draft?

The federal government uses the draft to find eligible men to serve in the United States armed forces. This usually happens if the armed forces are not large enough to provide the necessary number of soldiers to fight a war.

What is the US draft age?

Present – The U.S. currently operates under an all-volunteer armed forces policy. All male citizens between the ages of 18 and 26 are required to register for the draft and are liable for training and service until the age of 35.

How did the public feel about the Vietnam War?

Many Americans opposed the war on moral grounds, appalled by the devastation and violence of the war. Others claimed the conflict was a war against Vietnamese independence, or an intervention in a foreign civil war; others opposed it because they felt it lacked clear objectives and appeared to be unwinnable.

What were the feelings towards the draft during the Vietnam War?

Feelings Towards the Draft. On December 1, 1969, the first draft lottery since 1942 began, but college deferments were kept intact. Anti-war activists recognized the draft lottery system did not produce truly random results. The draft received even more resistance as dissenters became more frustrated with the system.

What happened to the drafted soldiers in WW2?

Draftees who completed Officer Candidate School would be eligible for higher positions in the army. Most of the men who were drafted went into the Army. After January 1943, this would change, but the army still received the majority of drafted soldiers.

Was the draft really a new thing in American history?

What is true is that the vast majority of men complied and registered for the draft and then served, if drafted—not quick to volunteer, but not unwilling to serve. In the end, over 70\% of American Army troops were conscripts, truly “a new thing in our history,” compared to 8\% of Union troops, where a draftee could hire a substitute.

How did the draft affect the lives of eligible men?

The draft took a lot of choices away from eligible men. Not only did they have to serve in the military, but they were also assigned jobs, branches, and service theaters.