The Selective Service System and the Vietnam War

The following sample essay on “Vietnam War” talks about a draft called the Selective Service System. When men turned eighteen, they had to register with the draft.

The draft had many changes; one was that if an individual was enrolled in college they could receive a deferment and not have to be drafted in the military until after college. However, once they graduated their name would be put to the top of the list to be drafted and deployed immediately. With this policy in effect many colleges and universities became involved in anti-war movements.

Most of the faculty and students did not believe in the war and its cause. Between the years of 1961 and 1973 the war claimed 57,000 American lives and left more than 300,000 wounded. (Davidson, 2005)

Come graduation time many students feared the reality of the draft. Many students protested and voiced their opposition to the war. With fear there was the distrust of the government figures in charge and they publicly questioned the government judgment on handling the war.

When the United States announced they would begin to send troops to Cambodia there was such a large protest that the National Guard had to be called in to control the situation. There was fear the protesting would turn into rioting and businesses would get damaged in the process.

Come May 4th, 1970, Kent State Universitys anti-war rally grew to almost 3,000 people in support of the anti-war movement. The National Guard had to use tear gas, when that did not work due to windy weather they attempted to enforce the Ohio Riot Act with raised bayonets, forcing demonstrators to retreat.

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(Kent State University, n.d.) As a result of the National Guard attack toward the protestors, nine students were injured, one of which was left paralyzed, and four died.

This incident put Kent State University in the spotlight and added fuel to the 1970??™s continuing anti-war movement. Many Americans feared them and their families could be victims on another incident like the Kent State University event. Parents began to question the draft, the Vietnam War, and American politics. Many of the peace talks that were organized were not carried out so peacefully.

American soldier lives were not the only things that Americans paid with for the war. The United States had put in over $120 million into supporting the war and the soldiers. With that inflation rose and President Johnson had to raise taxes. Unfortunately, the Republicans would not approve the tax raise with their being a cut to the social welfare programs. It was clear the United States did not have the resources or wealth to remain dominant over the world. President Nixon Doctrine allowed America escape it??™s military obligations by placing responsibility on other allied countries. With this happening, America foreign military sales went from $1.8 billion to $15.2 billion in the next six years. (Davidson, 2005)

As America was withdrawing from the Vietnam War it began looking for ways to contain the Soviets without the use of violence. They first needed to remove any threat of the Soviet??™s nuclear weapons. The United States allowed some nuclear concessions and the Soviets vowed to lower their supply, with both nations agreeing not to make any new missiles by signing ???Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty.??? The United States then began to make diplomatic relations with China with hopes that this would have the Soviets work with the United States.