How did the draft work during the Vietnam War?
The first number drawn was 258 (September 14), so all registrants with that birthday were assigned lottery number 1. The second number drawn corresponded to April 24, and so forth. All men of draft age (born January 1, 1944 to December 31, 1950) who shared a birth date would be called to serve at once.
Why was the draft during the Vietnam War 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.
Who would be drafted in the Vietnam War?
Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted. Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, oldest first.
What role did the draft play in the Vietnam War?
The draft was an important part in raising enough troops to fight in Vietnam. Opposition to the war included opposition to the draft. Some draft opponents protested the draft by publicly burning their draft card.
What was minimum draft age during Vietnam War?
The Vietnam War draft was controversial because people who did not support the war and had no say in formulating war policy were nevertheless being forced to fight. Draftees could be under 21 (18 at the youngest), and at that time, nobody under the age of 21 was allowed to vote.
What was the draft lottery in the Vietnam War?
The first draft lottery for the Vietnam War was held for American men born between 1944 and 1950. This was the first military draft in the United States since World War II. With capsules filled, they were poured into a tumbler and drawn, one-by-one, until all 366 dates were assigned a number.
How long did the draft of the Vietnam War last?
During the Vietnam War era, between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. military drafted 2.2 million American men out of an eligible pool of 27 million.