Posted: 6/18/2016 10:12:18 PM EDT
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I hope this is the right subforum. While my american history teacher did her best to cover the wars, she did all she could with the time allotted.
My question is that. I understand having a draft for WWII. It was either that, or the world would go to crap. But I don't understand the need for a draft in Korea and Vietnam. I get that they were proxy wars, I.E. Communism vs Freedom and I am sure there were treaties involved, but what if the USA just didn't draft people and just tempt new recruits via compensation etc? |
Take it easy and if it's easy take it twice
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WWII was the last conflict we had any real interest in getting involved in. Drafts are horrible for public opinion of a conflict, for obvious reasons. Lots of people like to eat the omelet (or watch it on TV), but very few people want to have to crack the eggs.
As fat and out of the shape as American youth are (forget about people in their 30's), a modern draftee would probably have to be sent to a fat camp for several months or given liposuction prior to going to boot camp. |
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Originally Posted By midcap:
I hope this is the right subforum. While my american history teacher did her best to cover the wars, she did all she could with the time allotted. My question is that. I understand having a draft for WWII. It was either that, or the world would go to crap. But I don't understand the need for a draft in Korea and Vietnam. I get that they were proxy wars, I.E. Communism vs Freedom and I am sure there were treaties involved, but what if the USA just didn't draft people and just tempt new recruits via compensation etc? How much do you think you would have to pay a private to "Volunteer" to go to Vietnam in the numbers that they wanted? Or reenlist for multiple tours? They even had peace time draft (Cold War) between the shooting wars. "From 1940 until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conflict, men were drafted to fill vacancies in the armed forces that could not be filled through voluntary means." And then there was this....."Government leaders felt the potential for a draft was a critical element in maintaining a constant flow of volunteers. On numerous occasions Gen. Hershey told Congress for every man drafted, three or four more were scared into volunteering. Assuming his assessment was accurate, this would mean over 11 million men volunteered for service because of the draft between January 1954 and April 1975." I know that my dad "Volunteered" for the USN because he did't want to be drafted into the Army. |
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I doubt they would do a draft if they thought they could meet their recruiting goals without it.
My dad was drafted into the Marines in 1951. He went in and thought he was going into the army like everyone else. A Marine sergeant came into the room and asked for 10 volunteers. He got none. After they all did their physical the sergeant came back into the room and looked at the paperwork and the exams. He picked the ten skinniest guys. The good news was that he got to go home for a few days first. (The army guys all had to ship out that day.) The bad news was he was going to be in the Marines. 
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When WWII ended there was a large combat experienced well of manpower to make the draft function exceptionally well. The Vietnam War soured the draft for many reasons. The public's lack of support for the draft forced a huge increase in funding to meet recruiting and retention needs of the professional forces. The result was a reduced size professional military that costs way more and no longer able be a deterrent to the likes of Russia in Crimea, China in the South and East China Seas, North Korea, global Islamic terrorism, etc.
There is not a country in the world that pays its troops what we do. Call up an infantry National Guard brigade for combat and it would take at least a year to be combat ready. They are undermanned, some units exist only on paper, while lacking equipment and training funds. The drafted troops train up for Korea was less than 3 months. While we are playing Whack-a-mole around the world and our allies all but bankrupt, our enemies are spending far less of their GDP and gaining in power and global control. They all take advantage of the draft to keep costs down. China can pay 9 of their lowest ranking soldiers for the cost of 1 US soldier. The draft is no panacea and clearly has its minuses, but we can never pay for the professional military size needed to do what we did on two fronts in WWII. That is a economic reality. |
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both WW1 &WW2 military command planning counted on the number of men you could have in position by day 30 day 60, & day 90 ect.
the draft was the key to keeping the funnel filled. in the days before 1 plane could destroy a city. by Vietnam, the draft was not only unpopular but was crating a less capable soldier at all levels. the ability to cherry-pick the best individuals is now key to our military not the mass numbers we had before. as of today If you can qualify to join any service you are in theory fully capable of being qualified to be a green beret or delta operator. the ASVAB & physical scores are very similar.if not identical. |
I am A pro American, pro freedom, fiscally conservative christian . I run my house the way I expect the government to run the country . At this point in my life ,I don't know how to be anything else.
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Originally Posted By Disgruntled_vet:
WWII was the last conflict we had any real interest in getting involved in. Drafts are horrible for public opinion of a conflict, for obvious reasons. Lots of people like to eat the omelet (or watch it on TV), but very few people want to have to crack the eggs. As fat and out of the shape as American youth are (forget about people in their 30's), a modern draftee would probably have to be sent to a fat camp for several months or given liposuction prior to going to boot camp. |
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Originally Posted By Disgruntled_vet:
WWII was the last conflict we had any real interest in getting involved in. Drafts are horrible for public opinion of a conflict, for obvious reasons. Lots of people like to eat the omelet (or watch it on TV), but very few people want to have to crack the eggs. As fat and out of the shape as American youth are (forget about people in their 30's), a modern draftee would probably have to be sent to a fat camp for several months or given liposuction prior to going to boot camp. 
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"Audemus jura nostra defendere"
| My cousin was the last man drafted in the US. Vietnam was pretty much over so he ended up in Korea. |
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing."
Robert E. Howard
Robert E. Howard
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Originally Posted By 26120:
Any way to find out what your Draft number was for the Vietnam war.I wasnt drafted came close but just wanted to find out my Selective service draftnumber. |
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Originally Posted By 26120:
Any way to find out what your Draft number was for the Vietnam war.I wasnt drafted came close but just wanted to find out my Selective service draftnumber. As it turned out I did work a flight deck in Tonkin Gulf. |
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.