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.

How did the draft work before 1969?

The lottery changed the way men were drafted in two ways: The lottery altered the dates year to year. Also, prior to 1969, older men — those closer to age 26 — were more likely to be drafted. With the institution of the lottery, 19-year-olds were the first to be called. The last draft call took place in December 1972.

What were the chances of being drafted in Vietnam?

Considering the “draft age” and the demographics of the 18 – 24 year old age cohort, your odds on actually getting drafted during the Vietnam era were probably lower than 5\% (on a cohort wide basis). During WWII (which was probably the “height of drafting”) your odds on getting drafted might have been as high as 10\%.

What was the punishment for draft dodging?

Knowing and willful refusal to present oneself for and submit to registration as ordered is punishable by a maximum penalty of up to five years in Federal prison and/or a fine of US$250,000, although there have been no prosecutions of draft registration resisters since January 1986.

What group opposed the draft?

To rally the poor, workers, white farmers, and immigrants against the draft, the Democratic Party often used racist rhetoric, blasting the Lincoln Administration for forcing white men to fight and die for the cause of freeing black slaves.

What birthdays were picked for the Vietnam draft?

On December 1, 1969, the Selective Service System of the United States conducted two lotteries to determine the order of call to military service in the Vietnam War in the year 1970, for men born from January 1, 1944 to December 31, 1950.

How did the draft change in 1971?

The changes in the new draft law made in 1971 included the provision that membership on the boards was required to be as representative as possible of the racial and national origin of registrants in the area served by the board.

Was there a draft in 1960?

In the 1960’s, once a man reached eighteen years old he would receive a letter from the Selective Service System stating that he was eligible for the draft. This left young men in the United States to make very important decisions that most did not want to make.

Did college students get drafted during Vietnam?

In 1965, a college education was no longer a get-out-of-jail free card for the Vietnam War. College undergraduate and graduate students were automatically awarded draft status 2-S–deferment for postsecondary education–and could not be forced to serve.

Can you refuse the draft?

If you get a draft notice, show up, and refuse induction, you’ll probably be prosecuted. However, some people will slip through the cracks in the system, and some will win in court. If you show up and take the physical, there’s a good chance that you’ll flunk.

How many Americans did Canada avoid the draft?

The BBC stated that “as many as 60,000 young American men dodged the draft.” Estimates of the total number of American citizens who moved to Canada due to their opposition to the war range from 50,000 to 125,000 This exodus was “the largest politically motivated migration from the United States since the United Empire …

Why are so many young people being inducted into the draft?

Some will be inducted because they failed to observe rules and became “delinquent.” — Passed by, in May as in previous months, will be thousands of draft-age youths who have been “waiting out” the draft for years. Their liability ends at age 26.

How old do you have to be to be drafted?

— The upshot is that in the “call” for 13,000 men in May, for example, most will be volunteers. The few youths actually drafted will be 22 years of age or older with rare exceptions.

What age do you have to be to defer the draft?

— Passed by, in May as in previous months, will be thousands of draft-age youths who have been “waiting out” the draft for years. Their liability ends at age 26. Those who take a deferment remain technically liable until age 35, but few if any older men are taken except in time of war.

What was life like for young people in the 1960s?

The young people of 1960s America were deeply concerned about the lack of equality in the “land of the free”, and did everything in their power to achieve it. We see the sixties as a time of radical thinkers and the desperate need for change.