VIETNAM

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VIETNAM

• The Draft What Would You Do?

Click Here to Begin Your Journey
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The Draft Overview

• On December 1, 1969 at Selective Service National
  Headquarters in Washington D.C. a lottery was
  held to determine the order of induction for the
  calendar year 1970.
• This was the first lottery of its kind since
  1942.
• How did it work? Click Here to find out and
  continue.

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The Draft Selection Process

• All 366 (leap year) days of the year were printed
  on a piece of paper and put into the container
  you see here.
• Each day was randomly drawn.
• When was your birthday picked? Click here to
  continue.

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The Draft Your Birthday

• Would you have been drafted?
• You will go out to the web to find out. When you
  are done, close your web browser to return back
  to this project.
• Click here to find out . What happened to those
  who were drafted? Click here to continue.

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The Draft

• Although only men ages 18-26 were eligible, we
  will assume that you have been drafted.
• For most draftees, the prospect of going to
  Vietnam was extremely frightening.
• What would you do?
• Click to Continue.

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The Draft Options

• You need to first explore three different
  responses draftees faced during the Vietnam war.
  Be sure to explore all three before you make your
  decision.

• Report for service
• Flee to Canada
• File for Conscientious Objector Status.

Its Time to Make a Decision
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What Will You Do?
Flee to Canada
Report for Service
File for Conscientious Objector Status
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Canada

• An estimated 30,000 individuals made the same
  choice.
• 10,000 more fled to Sweden or other countries.
• This is considered the largest political exodus
  in U.S. history.
• You are viewed as a coward by many in the United
  States.
• View Other Options
• What happened in the U.S. after the draft?

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Conscientious Objector

• An estimated 172,000 people won c.o. status
  during the war.
• Many were rejected.
• Approved objectors were classified into two
  categories.

View Other Options What happened in the U.S.
after the draft?
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Life in the United States Late 60s/Early 70s

• In 1968 Richard M. Nixon was elected president.
• In the summer of 1969, Nixon announced the first
  U.S. troop withdrawals from Vietnam.
• He hoped to achieve peace with honor.
• Many believe these policies prolonged the war for
  several more years.
• Many citizens distrusted President Nixon and
  disagreed with his handling of the war.
• Trouble on the home front

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Trouble on the Home Front

• Americans were shocked by two major events.
• The My Lai Massacre
• The Invasion of Cambodia
• How did the nation respond?

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Protest Movement

• After Cambodia, college students across the
  country erupted in protest.
• In the first general student strike in U.S.
  history, more than 1.5 million students closed
  down over 1,200 campuses.
• Disaster struck at Kent State University in Ohio.

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Kent State

• May 4, 1970
• Massive student protest leads to the burning of
  the ROTC building.
• The mayor called in the National Guard.
• The guards fired into a crowd of protestors.
• Nine were wounded.
• Four were killed, including two who had not
  participated in the rally.
• Continue

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End of the Vietnam War

• Responding to pressure from both within the
  United States and the international community, an
  agreement was signed to end the war on January
  27, 1973.
• On March 29, 1973, the last U.S. combat troops
  left for home.
• For the United States, the Vietnam War had ended.
• End of Program, push esc

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Invasion of Cambodia

• April 30, 1970.
• President Nixon announced that U.S. troops had
  invaded Cambodia.
• Nixon wanted to clear out North Vietnamese and
  Vietcong supply centers.
• Back

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The My Lai Massacre

• In order to gain a full understanding of this
  event, a picture has been included with the
  description.
• You may find this picture upsetting however and
  have the option to read the text without the
  photograph.
• Text without photograph
• Text with photograph

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The My Lai Massacre

• March 16, 1968.
• Small village in northern S. Vietnam.
• U.S. platoon enters village in search of Vietcong
  rebels.
• Finding no sign of the enemy, the troops rounded
  up the villagers and shot them.
• The massacre shook the nation.
• Back

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The My Lai Massacre

• March 16, 1968.
• Small village in northern S. Vietnam.
• U.S. platoon enters village in search of Vietcong
  rebels.
• Finding no sign of the enemy, the troops rounded
  up the villagers and shot them.
• The massacre shook the nation.
• Back

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Peace with Honor

• Nixon intended to maintain U.S. dignity in the
  face of its withdrawal from war.
• He wanted to preserve U.S. clout at the
  negotiation table.
• Nixon demanded that the South Vietnamese
  government remain intact.
• He secretly ordered a massive bombing campaign in
  North Vietnam and the neighboring counties of
  Laos and Cambodia.
• Back

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Draftees in Vietnam

• Draftees were more likely to die than volunteers.
• They accounted for 25 percent of the fighting
  force in Vietnam.
• 30 percent of deaths (17,225) in Vietnam were
  draftees.
• View Other Options
• What happened in the U.S. after the draft?

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Types of Conscientious Objectors

• 1-A-O those that were opposed to any military
  position that required the use of arms.
• They were assigned to noncombatant posts.
• 1-O those who were opposed to both combatant
  and non-combatant military roles and were
  assigned alternative civilian service.
• Go Back

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Canada

• If you go to Canada, you may be able to avoid
  service in Vietnam.
• This is illegal however and you may not be able
  to return to the United States.
• Go Back to Options

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What is a Conscientious Objector?

• Person who, on the grounds of conscience, resists
  military service.
• Opposition to war not considered adequate
  grounds.
• Opposition must be religious, moral or ethical in
  nature.
• Go Back to Options

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Report for Service

• You first will be physically examined to make
  sure you are fit for service.
• If you pass the physical you will be assigned to
  basic training.
• At the end of basic training, you will be
  assigned to service.

Go Back to Options