Vietnam War Drafting

Vietnam War Drafting

By Isabel Dawson8B History project 8th grade

The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was the longest war in the United States of America’s history. It was from November 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975. Around 58,220 men died at war. The war cost over $200 billion.

Drafting

Drafting is when you are forced by the government to go to war. The Selective Service System is the government agency in charge if drafting. Today men commit a federal offense if they do not register for the draft.

Drafting in the Vietnam War

Around 1.8 million men were drafted, although close to 300,000 people fled to Canada to escape the draft. There were many other ways people tried to escape the draft such as college, national guard, and joining peace core, or similar organizations.

Draft burnings

Many places started having public draft card burn piles. In response, on August 31, 1965 President Johnson made it a crime to burn a draft card.

The lottery

The lottery is the way they pick which men went to war. The Selective Service System would randomly pull out a year, and men born in that year would have to go to war unless they have a reasonable excuse. If they only required a portion of a year, they would pick randomly your assigned number.

Registering

Every male citizen and male alien living in the United States of America must register for the draft between the ages of 17 and 3 months to 30 days after turning 18. This is federal law. Today, there is no draft going on, but you are still required to register for the draft. If a draft did start, only men ages 18-25 would have to go to war, and first they would undergo an examination for mental, physical, and moral fitness.

Consequences

If you do not register for the daft, which isviolation of a federal law, the consequences are:• Prison for up to 5 years• And/or fine of $250,000• Denied drivers license in many states

(including Illinois) • Ineligible for federal benefits for life: student

financial aid, citizenship, federal job training, and federal jobs

Selective Service System history

The Selective Service Act of 1917 was passed by the 65th U.S. congress on May 18, 1917 creating the Selective Service System. It gave the president the power to conscript men for service.

Why not women?

Women have never been included in drafting. The U.S. Supreme Court did address the issue in 1981 with the case of Rostker vs. Goldberg. The Department of Defense also reviewed the issue at the request of Bill Clinton, but they still agreed.

Bruce Cluver

Click the picture to play the video

Ways to avoid the draft in the Vietnam War

• Join the Peace Core (some similarvolunteer organizations also work)• Join National Guard• Leaving the country• College

Please note you must be doing one of these from age 18 to your 26th birthday

Jim Shirk

Click the picture to play the video

Drafting in the Constitution

In my opinion, drafting is against the Declaration of Independence due to not being able to pursue your happiness. However, in article 1, section 8 of the Constitution, it says Congress, “Shall have the power to… raise and support Armies [and] to provide and maintain a Navy.” Butler vs. Perry in 1916, Arver vs. U.S. in 1918 and U.S. vs. Holmes in 1968 were all failed attempts to prove that drafting is against the Constitution.

Drafting affects your families!

Drafting worries families. Sometimes family will even move closer to his military base. It rushes marriages. Drafting affects your families lives!

Jane Cluver

Click the picture to play the video

Velma Cluver

Click the picture to play the video

How this affects you!

All boys have or will have to register for the draft. You can register at www.sss.gov. If the draft comes back into effect, men and their families are immediately, greatly affected. Drafting is important. Drafting in the Vietnam War is part of our history.

Vietnam War Drafting

By Isabel Dawson

The End