Essay: THE NEW DEMANDS OF THE DRAFT

For almost a whole generation of young Americans, the draft has been something for someone else to worry about. It provided the muscle for the U.S. in two World Wars and the Korean conflict, but in recent years its call has been gentle and muted. An average of hardly more than 100,000 men a year were called, only a small percentage of the total eligible to serve. Deferments, for school or for skill, were easy to get. American youngsters regarded the draft as either a remote threat or, at worst, a necessary chore that...

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