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During the Vietnam War, about two-third of American troops were volunteered, the rest were selected for military service through the drafts.
Most of U.S. soldiers drafted during the Vietnam War were men from poor and working-class families. The least political power sections were mistreated. As a matter of fact, American forces in Vietnam included twenty-five percent poor, fifty-five percent working-class, twenty percent middle-class men, but very few came from upper-classes families. Many soldiers came from rural towns and farming communities.
Around 15.4 million were granted deferments, mostly for education, some for mental, physical and family hardships.
Even though there was some opposition to the draft even before the U.S. direct involvement in Vietnam, the conflict saw new levels of opposition to the call-up. As American troop strength in Vietnam shot up, more young men of call-up age sought to avoid or delay their military service and there were some legal ways to do that. Men who had physical or mental problems, were married, with children, attending college or needed at home to support their families might be granted deferments. It is worth noticing that many men received deferments were from wealthy and educated families. Prominent political figures accused of avoiding the draft includes Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and Dick Cheney.
In the beginning, many people looked at “draft-dodgers with contempt as being “cowards”. As American casualties rocketed up while the U.S. could not see the light at the end of the tunnel as claimed by its government, the conflict in Vietnam became more and more unpopular. As a result, more people got involved in the anti-war and draft resistance movement and backed these draft-dodgers. The draft process was also scrutinized carefully owing to the increasingly unpopularity of the Vietnam War.
As anti-Vietnam War protests increased remarkably in the United States during late 1960s, the draft apparently became a target of many criticism. In 1964, many students illegally burnt their draft cards. In the early 1970s, draft resistance reached its peak. In 1972, the number of induction-refusal legal cases increased tremendously to 200,600. Those who had practiced draft invasion by flying abroad faced forced military service or imprisonment if they went back home. Although draft dodgers were still prosecuted after the end of U.S. direct involvement in Vietnam, in September 1974 President Gerald Ford granted a conditional amnesty that required them to be of service from 6 to 24 months. In 1977, on his first day in office, President Jimmy Carter controversially offered a full pardon to any draft dodgers who requested one.
originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: RickinVa
Speaking as a vet, I'd rather have served with people who wanted to be there rather than anyone who didn't, but was forced.
But that's just my opinion.
originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: RickinVa
Speaking as a vet, I'd rather have served with people who wanted to be there rather than anyone who didn't, but was forced.
But that's just my opinion.
originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: RickinVa
Speaking as a vet, I'd rather have served with people who wanted to be there rather than anyone who didn't, but was forced.
But that's just my opinion.
originally posted by: MiddleInsite
If Obama had gotten a deferment on a draft for bone spurs (even if he really had them), I'm sure the comments on this board would be the same, NOT! LOL!
originally posted by: MiddleInsite
If Obama had gotten a deferment on a draft for bone spurs (even if he really had them), I'm sure the comments on this board would be the same, NOT! LOL!
Not a knock on the people who have served since...its just that they are either hopeless (financially or otherwise) or drank too much government kool aid.