Draft evasion in the Vietnam War

Draft evasion in the Vietnam War
Part of Opposition to the Vietnam War
Five young people sitting and talking intently, Mark Satin (left), director of the Toronto Anti-Draft Programme,[1] counseling American draft evaders, 1967
Date1965–1973
Caused byConscription in Australia
Conscription in the United States
GoalsAvoid military deployment in the Vietnam War
Methods
Resulted inGeneral
  • Disruption -- and eventual termination -- of the draft (military conscription).
  • Lowered military personnel

Specifics

  • More than half of 27,000,000 available men deferred from the draft
  • 60,000–100,000 men emigrate from the United States

Draft evasion in the Vietnam War was a common practice in the United States and in Australia.[2] Significant draft avoidance was taking place even before the United States became heavily involved in the Vietnam War. The large cohort of Baby Boomers and late Silent Generationers allowed for a steep increase in the number of exemptions and deferments, especially for college and graduate students.[3] More than half of the 27 million men eligible for the draft during the Vietnam War were deferred, exempted or disqualified.[3]

  1. ^ Burns, John (11 October 1967). "Deaf to the Draft". The Globe and Mail (Toronto), pp. 1, 2.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference living was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Cortright was invoked but never defined (see the help page).