Table of Contents
What was unique about the draft in 1940?
On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. This was the first peacetime draft in United States’ history.
What led to the Selective Service Act of 1940?
American armed forces demobilized after the armistice of November 1918, and the number of men under arms diminished to prewar levels. As World War II raged in Europe and Asia, Congress narrowly passed the Selective Training and Service Act, instituting the first peacetime draft in U.S. history.
Why did Roosevelt start the draft?
While the United States was not yet involved in the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt thought it was important to begin training American men for military service just in case his country was pulled into war.
Was there a draft in 1940?
On Sept. 16, 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Selective Training and Service Act, which was another name for the draft. It required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft.
When did the US stop the draft?
1973
From 1948 until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conflict, men were drafted to fill vacancies in the armed forces which could not be filled through voluntary means.
Who was exempt from the draft?
The following instances are eligible for exemptions in the event of a military draft: Ministers. Certain elected officials, exempt so long as they continue to hold office. Veterans, generally exempt from service in peacetime draft.
When did U.S. abolish the draft?
Brief History of the Draft in America The nation’s first peacetime draft began in 1940 with the enactment of the Selective Training and Service Act and ended in 1973 with the end of the Vietnam War.
Which president ended the draft?
Nixon also saw ending the draft as an effective way to undermine the anti-Vietnam War movement, since he believed affluent youths would stop protesting the war once their own probability of having to fight in it was gone.
What president ended the draft?
What did Jimmy Carter do to the draft?
Proclamation 4483, also known as the Granting Pardon for Violations of the Selective Service Act, was a presidential proclamation issued by Jimmy Carter in 1977. It granted pardons to those who evaded the draft in the Vietnam War by violating the Military Selective Service Act from August 4, 1964 to March 28, 1973.