Draft Evasion
As the Vietnam War intensified, more and more young men were being sent to war. The draft system became a way to fill empty spaces in the U.S. military, but with opposition towards the war continually growing, those who had been drafted sought ways to evade the draft and avoid fighting in a war they didn’t believe in. Many of them tried to get conscientious objectors status, giving them a legal way to avoid the draft. Others who refused to comply with the draft were fined and sentenced to jail. Many middle class men that were drafted tried to get a college deferment, further separating the social classes in America.
With many against the war in Vietnam, some who had been drafted tried to apply for conscientious objector status, the U.S. classification for active duty or draft eligible individuals opposed to war or combatant participation in war on certain moral or religious grounds. (Coffey, 82) During the Vietnam era, there were nearly 172,000 conscientious objectors. Along with conscientious objectors, another group was formed, the “selective objectors”, those who objected only to the Vietnam War, the government decided this group would not be granted conscientious objector status and therefore be exempt from fighting in the war.
“As a tool to distinguish to which group a petitioner belonged, many draft boards asked potential CO’s to answer variations of two basic questions: ‘If this were World War II and not Vietnam, would you fight?’ and ‘If someone were attacking your mother/grandmother/sister, would you fight?’ Most men who could honestly answer these questions affirmatively chose not to go the difficult CO route.” (Gottlieb, 108)
Despite conscientious objection status becoming a popular solution for men to avoid the draft, the rules limited who could actually be granted the status. Applicants that hoped to obtain this status had to present convincing pacifist credentials, such as letters from clergy and declare opposition to all wars. (Coffey, 82) Since many draft eligible men choose to go the conscientious objector route to avoid going to war, in 1971, the Supreme Court refused to allow objection to a particular war, a decision affecting thousands of objectors to the Vietnam War. (Infoplease.com) Many who applied for CO status were not against all wars, only the Vietnam War, this decision by the Supreme Court prevented those who were only against the Vietnam War from receiving an exemption.
Another option for those who were opposed to the war, but were not able to get conscientious objector status was to be fined and serve a jail sentence for refusing induction. This was the option that famous heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali chose. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., he won the heavyweight title in 1964 and 1965, after joining the Nation of Islam, a group led by Elijah Muhammad that advocated for a separate black nation, he changed his name to Muhammad Ali. (Rosenberg) When he was first drafted he was deferred by the Selective Service System for being a slow reader, but was recalled for service in 1966. (Coffey, 14) Due to the fact that Ali was a famous boxer, he could have requested special treatment and just entertained the troops, but it was his deep religious beliefs that caused him to refuse his draft notice. (Rosenberg) He tried to apply for conscientious objector status on religious grounds, but was denied; when he was called for induction in April 1967 he refused to go. (Coffey, 14)
“Denied the exemption, Ali was called to service in April 1967 but refused induction. He was stripped of his title and boxing license and on 20 June 1967 was found guilty of violating the Selective Service Act.” (Coffey, 14)
Ali was sentenced to five years in jail and a fine of $10,000, but he was able to remain out on bail while he appealed. For three and a half years, Ali was exiled from boxing. (Rosenberg) Finally in June 1970, the Supreme Court overturned Ali’s conviction. (Coffey, 14) Like Muhammad Ali, many others chose to go to jail instead of fighting in a war that they did not believe in.
As opposition to the war increased, the government tried to keep the allegiance of the middle class by finding ways to exempt their sons from military service. College enrollment provided a route of exemption for many middle class men. (Goldfield, 851)
“The most popular method was to attend college, which exempted men from the draft until they had obtained their degrees or reached the age of twenty-four.” (Kallen, 29)
The purpose of the draft system was to provide a sufficient source of manpower to fill the ranks of military services.
“The draft was unfairly administered, filled with loop-holes that allowed a young man to avoid military service through deferments. The most abused of these were the college deferments, which favored the affluent and well educated American males of draft age.” (Caputo, 88)
While college was a good way to get exempt from the draft, not everyone was able to attend college. As a result, many draftees and enlistees were small town and working class youth. The draft system caused resentment that was an important wedge that began to erode the long standing alliance between working class Americans and the Democratic Party. The draft also caused tension among white and black Americans.
“In 1965, when African Americans made up 11 percent of the nation’s population, 24 percent of the soldiers who died in Vietnam were black. This disparity forced the Defense Department to revise its combat assignments so that the racial impact was more equal in later years.” (Goldfield, 851)
More tension in America was created as draft eligible men tried to use college as a form of exemption from the war, showing the social differences in America.
With the War in Vietnam expanding and American opposition for the war intensifying, draft eligible men began looking for any possible way to receive a deferment from the war to avoid fighting in a war that they did not believe in. Most applied for conscientious objectors status, a legal way to avoid the draft. For those who were not able to receive CO status, many used college enrollment or choose to go to jail and pay a fine.
Works Cited
Caputo, Philip. 10,000 Days of Thunder. New York: Bryon Preiss Visual Publications, Inc.: 88
Coffey, David, et al. Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000: 14, 82, 107-108, 350
“Conscientious Objector.” Infoplease.com 28 May 2010 http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0813284.html
Goldfield, David, et al. The American Journey: A History of the United States. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2007: 851-852
Gottlieb, Sherry Gershon. Hell No, We Won’t Go. New York: Penguin Books: 107-108
Kallen, Stuart A. The Vietnam War The Home Front: Americans Protest the War. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2001: 29
Rosenberg, Jennifer. “Muhammad Ali.” About.com 28 May 2010 http://history1900s.about.com/od/people/a/muhammadali.htm?p=1
