What the Draft was like during the Viet Nam War

begin quotes: 

 

AI Mode

All

Images

Videos

News

Short videos

Forums

 

 

View all

The Vietnam War draft was a controversial and selective conscription system where local draft boards assigned numbers based on a lottery system, though the first lottery was flawed. Wealthier, more educated men could often receive deferments to avoid service, while men from poor, working-class backgrounds were disproportionately drafted, leading to widespread public dissatisfaction and anti-war protests. About 2.2 million men were conscripted, with the draft ending in 1973 with the shift to an all-volunteer force. 

The Local Draft Board System 

• Power of Local Boards:

  Thousands of local draft boards, made up of volunteer members, assigned individuals for service based on government-issued quotas.
• Favoritism and Deferments:

  These boards were often seen as favoring wealthier or more educated men, who could receive deferments primarily for college (2-S), medical reasons, or essential jobs.
• Disproportionate Impact:

  The system was criticized for unfairly targeting poor, working-class, and less educated men, as they had fewer options for deferment or avoidance.

The Draft Lottery

• Purpose:

  To increase fairness and reduce public opposition, a draft lottery was established in December 1969. 

• 
  

Protests and Resistance

• Catalyst for Protests: The draft was a major catalyst for anti-war protests across the country. 

• 
  

The End of the Draft 

• Last Lottery: The final lottery was held in December 1972.
• All-Volunteer Force: In January 1973, President Nixon announced a shift to an all-volunteer military force, rendering the draft system obsolete.

• The Draft and the Vietnam War

  

  Students of History

50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration

• 
  
• Show all

Dive deeper in AI Mode

Mechanics:

The system involved placing 366 capsules, each with a date corresponding to a birthday, into a tumbler. 

Initial Flaw:

The first lottery was problematic, as capsules were added by month, leading to a biased draw where early-year birthdays were more likely to be called. 

Improved System:

The methodology was revised to sort the birthday numbers into separate envelopes, which was considered a more random process. 

Forms of Resistance: Resistance included draft card burning, refusing induction, and demonstrating. 

Exile and Prison: Some men chose to self-exile to countries like Canada to avoid the draft, while others faced prison terms for resisting induction. 

Week of November 30 | Vietnam War Commemoration

Under the old selective laws, thousands of local draft boards throughout the country, staffed by volunteers, produced names of dra...

8 Gripping Facts About the Vietnam War Draft - Mental Floss

Apr 9, 2025 — There were multiple draft lotteries during the Vietnam War. ... According to critics, the draft lottery in 1969 was inh...

Mental Floss