Table of Contents
What was the punishment for draft dodging Vietnam?
These draft resisters hoped that their public civil disobedience would help to bring the war and the draft to an end. Many young men went to federal prison as part of this movement.
What happened if you ignored the draft?
If you get a draft notice, show up, and refuse induction, you’ll probably be prosecuted. However, some people will slip through the cracks in the system, and some will win in court. If you show up and take the physical, there’s a good chance that you’ll flunk.
Can you go to jail for avoiding the draft?
On paper, it’s a crime to “knowingly fail or neglect or refuse” to register for the draft. The penalty is up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Last year, Selective Service referred 112,051 names and addresses of suspected violators to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.
How could a person get out of being drafted?
Here are 11 ways people beat the draft in the 1970s.
- Be a Conscientious Objector.
- Make up a health condition.
- Have children who need you.
- Be a homosexual.
- Run away to Canada.
- Go to college.
- Have a high lottery number.
- Hold an “essential” civilian job.
What happened to draft dodgers in Vietnam?
Draft Resistance in the Vietnam Era Draft resisters filed for conscientious objector status, didn’t report for induction when called, or attempted to claim disability. Soldiers went AWOL and fled to Canada through underground railroad networks of antiwar supporters.
How long do you go to jail for refusing the draft?
If you are required to register and you do not, you will not be eligible for state-based student aid in many states, federal job training, or a federal job. You may be prosecuted and face a fine of up to $250,000 and jail time of up to five years.
Do boys still have to register for the draft?
Yes, you are still required to register with Selective Service. Virtually all men must register with Selective Service, even those who believe they’ll be exempt from serving. In the event of a draft, men called for induction would be able to make a claim for deferments, postponements, or exemption from serving.
What happened to draft dodgers after the Vietnam War?
Upwards of 40,000 draft dodgers fled to Canada between 1965 and 1975. Many stayed in Canada after the war’s end, and some even stayed after President Carter pardoned them all on his first day in office. Those who stayed became Canadian citizens.
How did the military draft affect the Vietnam War?
The military draft brought the war to the American home front. 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.
What happened to the draft after 1973?
I hardly noticed the draft-related events of the next few years: In 1973 the draft ended, in 1974 President Ford offered conditional amnesty to the draft dodgers — 40 years ago today — and in 1975 the war ended. But by then the draft had already done great damage to the U.S. military and its image.
How did people Dodge the draft during the Civil War?
To dodge the Civil War draft, people could pay a less wealthy person to take their place in the draft, pay a crooked doctor to give them a bad health exam, or outright bribe draft officials. The modern Selective Service system was established to raise an army to fight in Europe during World War I.