The Importance Of The Draft Conscription or the “compulsory enrollment of persons for military or naval service” (Dictionary.com) is not a new concept. Famously known as the draft, Conscription has been around since the 1860s during the Civil War. Currently called the Selective Service System, or SSS for short, this law increases the military population during a time of war. By selecting individuals from a pool of men aged 18 to 25, this system provides relief to soldiers stuck on the front line. During the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted the Selective Training And Service Act of 1940. This Act required any able-bodied man from 21 to 36 years old to register for the new system. Over 10 million men were inducted into the war by the time World War II concluded 4 years later (World War II History). This became the second form of the draft and was liquidated in 1947. The next year, a new draft was signed into law and while it has gone through multiple changes, it is the same law we have today. The draft does not occur often and has not been used since the Vietnam war in the 1970s. Nevertheless, the draft is still an important law to have as a war could suddenly begin and the SSS will provide the needed reinforcements to the military. Throughout history, women have been recognized as the givers and supporters of life. This may be one reason women are still unable to register for the SSS. During a time of war, while soldiers are needed to protect the
The United States of America is the nation with the largest, most powerful, and most funded military. The United States has been known to commonly get involved with other nations purely based off the fact that it is militarily capable. In the past the United States has had to implement several drafts to support the military’s need for more troops. The question is, in this day and age, would it be acceptable for the United States to order a national mandatory military conscription to fuel the military? There are always those that are exempt from military service, as well as those who cannot be exempt which increases the gap of inequality which will harm some more than others. Due to evidence presented in previous conscription efforts, possible
Many people in the 1960s and early 1970s did not understand why the United States was involved in the Vietnam War. Therefore, they had no desire to be a part of it. The Selective Service System, which was used to conduct the draft, had aspirations of directing people into areas where they were most needed during wartime. However, people took advantage of the draft system’s deferment policies to avoid going to war. Others refused induction or simply did not register. There were also people who left the country to escape the draft. The Vietnam War proved to be an event that many Americans did not agree with, and as a result, citizens took action to elude the draft entirely or to beat the draft system.
Wanting to be able to continue the war effort in Vietnam, President Nixon asked the congress to create new draft law, effectively extending the current draft. Under the law which defined how a draft could be made law, one clause denoted a specific timeframe for which any new law could be created after one had expired. “The end came after a series of lawsuits challenged the draft upon its re-enactment and renewed conscription in 1972 without regard to the 90-day waiting period required in the original Korean War era draft law.” (Selective Service) This clearly states that a mandatory 90-day waiting period must be observed. Nixon paid no respect to this and neither did Congress, making those men drafted after the expiration date, essentially drafted illegally. This is illegality is further reinforced by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which found against the United States in a dispute over the draft law setting a precedent that it was, indeed, illegal. Not only was the Draft law found illegal, but the personal social lives of those drafted were forever harmed.
In the middle 1960s, every male in America had to register for Selective Service Draft at age 18. He would then be eligible for the draft and could be inducted into the Army for a period of two years. If you were a college student, you could receive a deferment and would be able to finish college without the fear of being drafted. However, once finished with college, a students name would be put to the very top of the draft list and could be deployed at anytime. The anti-war movement was about young men being drafted and then sent into war that most Americans did not believe threatened the security of the US. The Vietnam War was America’s rebellious war, a war without popular support
Conscription, or more boldly the draft, has not been in place for some thirty years. While some people cringe at the thought of reinstating the draft, others have different views. This short paper will speak of those different views and the reasons why conscription of military service may not be such a bad idea after all.
Would you be willing to drop everything right now and join the military? Thousands of men were troubled with this question in the twentieth century. The United States draft, also called conscription, was first used during the Civil War but later used in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Napoleon was the first general to use the modern draft. In 1940 FDR signed the Training Service Act of 1940 starting the first formal draft in the United States, but in 1973 congress decided to have an all-volunteer military. President Carter decided to resume the draft in 1980 due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Today the draft is not used but the US still requires its 18-year-old
During the Vietnam War, Americans were selected for military service by a government agency called the selective service. Those young men between the ages of eighteen and twenty six were forced into an involuntary process called the draft. Protesting against conscription or “the Draft” had always been a part of wartime America. Though for many citizens the Vietnam War would be the drawing line. Mentioned in What’s Your Number? an article written by Historynet, the first drawing of numbers using a draft lottery system to select who would and would and would not be drafted for the Vietnam War took place on December 1, 1969 (Historynet 2009). This marks the beginning of turmoil and uncertainty for those men born between the years 1944 and 1950
A draft starts when there is a major crisis and extra troops are needed for combat. The draft only calls men to duty in a certain order in which they registered. This is called the lottery. Only when Congress passes and then the president signs legislation, the draft can begin. After the Vietnam War was completely over congress felt the draft should be put to an end. The draft was finally put to an end in 1973 by congress.
The draft started on April 16, 1862 for the Confederate States during the Civil War. The Union then conducted their own draft on March 3, 1863. The Northern 1862 draft was an attempt to let states handle their own conscriptions, instead of the old volunteer militia. The next draft took place on September 16, 1940 for World War I and remained in effect continuously until 1973. The president, Woodrow Wilson, decided that “A draft was needed and nearly 3,000,000 soldiers were drafted following the Service Act of 1917.” (Understanding the U.S. Military Draft History 1). The reasoning behind President Wilson calling for the draft is because “Before the draft only 73,000 soldiers volunteered during the first 6 weeks of World War I” (Understanding the U.S. Military Draft History 1). Before July of 1973 “The draft was in effect continuously from 1940 to 1973” (Smith 1). This means that more than 10,000,000 men were drafted and sent off into battle throughout the past wars.
On July 1, 1973, Congress chose to end the draft in favor of an All Volunteer Army. According to "The Professional Bulletin of Army History, No. 27," the last man was drafted in December 1972 and reported for training in June 1973. Now, not only might the renewed military draft come back but also the age of compulsory service in the meat grinder might be extended from its former limit of 26 years up to 42 years of age.
Compulsory enrollment, especially for the armed forces; draft.A monetary payment exacted by a government in wartime.
When you enjoy the freedoms you have living in the United States, you can thank those men and women who serve in the armed forces. But in recent years, our armed forces have seen a decline in enlistments, which has reignited and old debate. Should we reinstate the Military Draft? This one question has sparked a debate nationwide, between friends, family, and even perfect strangers. Reinstating the draft is just one way to ensure people can continue to enjoy those freedoms the armed forces have fought for over the years.
Not everyone wishes to follow Caputo's desire to be the hero charging the undulating hills, lush jungles and grasslands of Vietnam. The need for high numbers of military units during the height of the Vietnam War required a draft. At first, the draft is designed to be a pool which unfortunately results
Conscription is a law that states that if you are from the age 18 to 41 and are not a single parent or married with kids and you are over the age of 39 this was used during the Vietnam War. “Hell no, we won't go!” ( ANONYMOUS, Anti-Vietnam War slogan)
Throughout human history, war has permeated the lives of billions of people. From early conflicts such as conquests to control vast swaths of land by Alexander the Great and Cyrus the Great to modern, global wars such as the World Wars, the concept of war has been at the forefront of humanity’s mind for centuries. However, in recent years, opposition to war and lack of participation in the military has become a common theme in many countries, including the United States. To help alleviate the troubles caused by lack of participation, the United States instituted a law allowing for the conscription of its citizens. Conscription, which can also be referred to as a draft, is defined as the compulsory drafting of citizens into military service (What). The Draft has been utilized throughout US History in a couple of prominent wars; however, opposition has manifested against the Vietnam War and the draft, rightfully stemming from ethical opposition to the war and hatred for what the war and the draft stood for.