President Richard Nixon first introduced the draft in the late 1960’s. The draft provided a lottery style way to draft new soldiers. Americans were tremendously opposed to the draft for the Vietnam War, not because the draft was a bad idea, but because they did not want to participate in the war. They didn’t believe in the war, which in return, made them hate the draft. Whether or not people liked it, the draft was used in order to supply our nation with troops. The draft helped get soldiers on the ground in Vietnam. I believe the draft was not necessary because people did not believe in the war, the draft did not benefit our war efforts, and the draft was unfair.
People did not believe in the Vietnam War. The anti-war movement began around
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If people do not believe in what they are fighting for and are drafted into a war they do not want to fight, people will not fight with honor for their country. Being drafted into a war someone does not want to fight causes him or her to fight that war to escape with their life, not to earn a victory for their country. The United States intervened into Vietnam to try and stop the spread of communism into South Vietnam (HISTORY.com,. "Vietnam War History). They declared we needed a draft to help supply troops to fuel the war against communism, but in the end the result was the same. The Draft was an unneeded part of the Vietnam War. If the draft would have never been introduced less protestors to the war would have risen and more volunteers would have came forward and sent to Vietnam. When American troops were beginning to be withdrawn from Vietnam, it was not because of a lack of troops, but from a lack of support (Walpole, Andy.). The lack of support and the idea of and unwinnable war was the cause of a slow end to the terrible war efforts. The American ideals changed from the start to the finish of the war, hating the soldiers when they came back. The last troops did not return home from Vietnam until 1973(Walpole, Andy.). This vast difference in time between the first troops to leave and the last troops to leave was the cause of much resentment among the
Article writer Stewart Walker believes when President Nixon ignored the fact that an all-volunteer army is very expensive, he made a big mistake (Walker, 6). The budgetary cost may be lower for a draft military than an all-volunteer army (higher pay is usually an incentive for enlisting); however, draftees have a lower reenlistment rate (Goodman, par. 2 & 5). Thus, efficiency is diminished and training costs are raised (par. 2). Walker also believes the argument that the draft undermines patriotism since every citizen should feel obligated to serve (Walker, par. 6). Americans are endowed with the right of individually liberty, but the draft constricts the very thing we are fighting for (Should, par. 5). Innocent Americans are having their liberty taken away so that they can be used as human shields to fight a war they wanted no part in (Henderson, par. 2). Walker even mentions that over thirty percent of Vietnam War deaths were draftees (par. 8). Americans are also endowed with the freedom of religion. Many religious worshippers are pacifists, and forcing them to fight would take away a common American freedom. A draft also contradicts American’s importance on voting (Editorial par. 2 & 5). Every year, politicians stress urge young Americans to vote; however, the draft registrations scares young votes (par. 2 & 5). Despite disregarding innocent humans dying, Walker mentions how
American citizens during the Vietnam War generally equally disapproved and approved of it; many protesting their dissent, and going out of their way to obtain deferments in order to avoid conscription, while many others voiced pro-war statements (Angrist 584-95). Deferments were a way to postpone your chance of conscription, which is being drafted into the military (Angrist 584-95). Although some were indeed anti-war, there was a rather equal or larger amount who voiced supportive opinions for the war, but as the war proceeded this changed (Gettleman). Such diversified opinions were the direct cause for the continuation of the war (Tomes). Peaceful protesters and radicals came into the spotlight as the war progressed, as more and more people voiced disapproving and anti-war statements towards the war (DeBenedetti 321-86).
One of the most telling aspects of the antiwar sentiments was the effort made to avoid being drafted into the conflict. The popularized term of “draft dodgers” came into use for those individuals that used means, such as “fle[eing] to Canada to avoid the drafts.” Many of those actually drafted for the war were poor working class men, considering the fact that “a lot of draft-age men received deferments were from wealthy and educated families,” perpetuating the idea that “U.S. draft policies were unfair” (Bia). This belief was illustrated by public demonstrations, making it blatantly obvious of not only the dissatisfaction due to the draft itself, but also the underlying antiwar sentiments. Never before in American history had there been such disconnect between those requiring troops and those being enlisted in the army. This would further expand to encompass those that were originally deferred. Yet there was still distaste from all classes, furthering how the draft itself was just another way by which the delegation was not serving the preferences of the people. The draft was furiously opposed by a variety and majority of peoples, furthering the already present, and mounting principle-agent
On August 7th 1964 the United States Congress passed into law the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which, for all intents and purposes, officially brought the United States into the Vietnam War. Following this resolution, a draft was instated to increase the number of men that could be sent to war. Shortly after men started to be signed into conscription for the United States Military, a public outcry started over the use of a draft to increase military size. The draft was found to be unfair to American Citizens because certain groups of men were severely disadvantaged, the draft was illegal in many ways, and veteran’s future lives were harmed, among other reasons.
Throughout history, the American people have, for the most part, stood united during times of war. The people of America always seemed to rally behind each other. Most people were either willing to fight in the war or willing to take up the responsibilities of those who left for war. The majority of Americans supported the decisions of our nation’s government. This was not the case during the Vietnam War. For the first time in American history, widespread revolt against our nation’s decision to fight in the war influenced the outcome. This is what saved our country and the lives of soldiers who were fighting an unwinnable war.
Millions of men were called to serve in the Vietnam War. Sometimes, the men were drafted and did not have a choice. Unlike the gift-wrapped ideals of the war that were displayed to the United States, many soldiers would find that the military life would involve far more than “real man-sized action.” To the general public, soldiers were being drafted to be heroes, but once they were forced into war, less than heroic things occurred, and no one would be able to object. The law...
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.
Men in the Vietnam War did not know why they were there fighting in Vietnam and what their purpose was there. The United States justified their involvement in the war by asserting that they were combating communism and preventing communistic North Vietnam from taking over the more democratic South Vietnam. This affected the soldiers because they did not know why they were there killing the innocent villagers and civilians. They destroyed land and crops to combat the Viet Cong and the effects of Agent Orange, the toxin used to destroy the vegetation, are still prevalent today. A second reason the United States (U.S.) justified their implication in the Vietnam War was to prevent the spread of communism across Asia. The U.S. came up with the Domino Theory and said that if Vietnam became a communist country then so would the countries around it and so on and so forth (Herring). This war on communism did not bring any solutions because even today Vietnam is still a communist country; therefore, the soldiers do not feel they had fought for a real cause. No one received anything that was satisfactory to him or her from the war. The men ended up going home scared for life at the violence and deat...
The Vietnam War was a war that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from November 1st 1955 to the fall of Saigon on April 30th 1975. This war was fought between the North Vietnamese Viet Cong and the government of South Vietnam. The criticism of the war in Vietnam started out as a reaction to President Johnson’s policy of fighting for a limited purpose and a negotiated peace in Vietnam. Criticism is valuable because it helps to correct communal procedures. That is a great advantage of exposed societies. But criticism works only if those in control have a sufficient intellect in order to recognize when a policy has gone wrong. The Vietnam War and its leaders is a "monument to the failure of that necessary wisdom" (Lewis). The supporters were known as “hawks.” As the President escalated the war effort, and became a hawk himself, his chief critics who disagreed with the war became known as “doves,” which included college students, faculty, and several other people who felt that the war was corrupt, was promoting no advantage for the US, and was increasing the number of casualties. But the Doves’ access to this goal is restricted: the war drags on. Many disaffected doves adapt to this situation by rebellion. They reject societal goals and means
The Vietnam War took place in between 1947- 1975. It consisted of North Vietnam trying to make South Vietnam a communism government. The United States later joined this conflict because of the stress North Vietnam was putting to South Vietnam to become a government that America did not want. The main reason why America joined was because of a theory called the Domino Effect. America and Russia were going through what has been dubbed the Cold War. The Domino Effect is the theory that communism will spread form one country to another. United states does not want this because our government is a democracy and communism opposes everything we stand for. America fearing communism was growing, stepped into Vietnam with America’s interest in mind, instead of Vietnam’s. There are several reason why American should have not gotten involved with this war. The most important reason was that America government officials made to much of a big deal about communism. This might sound cynical, but America to a certain degree did over react. Let it be said that it is much easier to say this after the fact. By looking back at McCarthyism, we can see the silliness of this fear. There is a serious side though. Thousands of people dies for a government that has no impact of their daily life. What regime Vietnam was going to change over to had no effect on the every day cycle of the United States. So truly, one can say, this can not one thing to do with America, its government and people.
It became very important to dodge drafts during the Vietnam war. The Vietnam war grew into a broad social movement over the years. Americans became angrier because they believed it wasn’t their fight to fight. They began protesting and filled the streets on changing politics and anti-war movements. The hippies went against President Nixon and President Johnson and spoke out due to drafting thousands of Americans to Vietnam and Cambodia. They created slogans such as “Make love, not war”, “US troops get out of Vietnam”, and other peace signs. Along with signs, they would chant and played music to help promote their ideas and thoughts against the war. Many artists and bands pitched in and helped spread the youths’ ideas. There were songs such as “Paint it black” by The Rolling Stones, “Blowin’ in the wind” by Bob Dylan, “Give peace a chance” by John Lennon, and many other inspiring
..., the draft ended and the U.S. converted to an All-Volunteer military. Many people were not in high spirits about the Vietnam War, and thought we should not be involved in it. Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, laments “[w]e are not about to send American boys nine or ten thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves” (Vietnam-Facts.info). There is a popular picture of a draft protests sign displaying the words “hell no, we won’t go.” I do believe Americans should have a right to choose to go to war or not. Many young men lost their life fighting a battle they didn’t even have faith in. Many soldiers endured personal hardships, loss of income, and leaving family behind. Most of drafted soldiers complied with the draft and served; however, many middle to high-class young men found ways to avoid combat.
For the first part of this paper you need some background on how the draft worked throughout our history (as Americans), and how it was socially perceived amongst the citizen of this great nation. For more than fifty years now we have had a peacetime military draft. "President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 which created the country's first peacetime draft and formally established the Selective Service System" (about.com). We have been very lucky that the military draft has only been used twice now, once for W...
Due to the volatile conditions of the Vietnam War, the protestors believed that they should not be involved in a war that they cared so little about. Public opinion heavily swayed during the war as only one senator dissented from the overwhelming opinion to fight the war (Amter 45). However, as President Johnson escalated the war and the Draft increased by 25% in 1968, those youths being conscripted were infuriated (Dougan 118). Not only this, the North Vietnamese began a ruthless offensive on American soldiers by merciless attacking our bases. This resulted in US victories, but also US casualties (Dougan 116). Also, the marines stationed at the bases began to use offensive attacks to deter Viet Cong assault against the wishes of General Taylor (Karnov 443). With these new less defensive strategy, Nixon announced plans to start operations in Cambodia, and to increase the bombings overall in Southeast Asia (Dougan 180). Some missions even began t...
Tim O’Brien finds himself staring at his draft notice on June 17, 1968. He was confused and flustered. O’Brien does not know how or why he got selected for the draft. All he knew was that he was above the war itself, “A million things all at once—I was too good for this war. Too smart, too compassionate, to everything. It couldn’t happen” (41). He was also demented on the fact that he, a war hater, was being drafted. He felt if anyone were to be drafted it should be the people who supported the war. “If you support a war, if you think it’s worth the price, that’s fine, but you have to put your own precious fluids on the line” (42). His draft notice was when he first carried his thought of embarrassment. He instantly thought if he does not support the war he should not have to go to war. The only way not to go to war was to flee the country so the draft council could not find him. He had a moral split. “I feared the war, yes, but I also feared exile” (44). This quote is so true in young adults, not only then, but also now. Peer pressure, the thought of being embarrassed if we do not do something, pushes many young adults to do things they do not want to such as pushing Tim O’Brien to enter the draft. The thought of being judged ...