How did they pick the draft for Vietnam?
During the Vietnam War, young men gathered in college dorms and friends’ homes to listen to live TV and radio broadcasts of the U.S. Selective Service System drawing lottery numbers to determine who would and would not be drafted.
Has there been a draft since Vietnam?
There has not been a draft in the U.S. since 1973, when Congress allowed the existing draft authorization, conscripting men into service in the Vietnam War, to expire. Two years later, President Gerald Ford suspended men’s responsibility to register for the draft.
Why did the draft end in 1973?
The fourth incarnation of the draft came into being in 1940 through the Selective Training and Service Act. It was the country’s first peacetime draft. … Active conscription came to an end in 1973 when the United States Armed Forces moved to an all-volunteer military.
How did the Vietnam 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 was the highest draft number called in 1971?
N71 gives the results of the lottery held on August 5, 1971, for men born in 1952. The highest lottery number called for this group was 95; all men assigned that lottery number or any lower number, and who were classified as available for military service, were called to report for possible induction.
What were the chances of being drafted in Vietnam?
Myth: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted. Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Approximately 70% of those killed in Vietnam were volunteers.
How did the military draft work?
The Selective Service System says it most likely would hold a draft lottery based on dates of birth. … If your birthdate is the first one drawn, you are the first to be drafted. Normally, officials have a cutoff number based on the needs of the military. For example, during the 1969 draft lottery, men born between Jan.
Why was the Vietnam draft Unfair?
The draft for the Vietnam War brought with it anxiety and anger to many American households. … The draft was viewed as unequal because the working class man’s only choice was to go to war, while the wealthy men would go to college or enlist in the National Guard.