Research Proposal: The Vietnam War's Anti-Draft System

In this research proposal, the history of The Vietnam War’s servicemen and the drafted lottery system is brought to surface. It will display how the selective service system caused anti-war and anti-draft protests that were followed by the mistreatment and misconceptions of the Vietnam War Veterans by the American people. The drafting process contained many loopholes that put the poor and working men at a significant disadvantage. This proposal will initiate a plan for a future research paper striving to answer, “How did the draft system affect the outcome of the Vietnam War, the treatment of the Veterans, and why was it necessary to put a stop to the selective service system?” Through extensive research this proposed research paper will

soon expose the harsh reality that the draft caused and the significance of never returning to this type of system.

Forced to Fight: The Lasting Effects of the Draft System on the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War began in 1954 and did not end until 1975.

The United States became involved in the war in hopes of preventing, ultimately, South Vietnam and the rest of the world from being taken over by communism. In the late 1960’s President Richard Nixon implemented a system he thought would increase the power of the military. Nixon arranged for the random selection of the United Sates Select Service System, the Draft, and conducted a lottery to establish who would be called to serve the country in the Vietnam War. The Draft enhanced tension and created resentment toward the war and the draft system. It reinforced the Anti-war movements, and highlighted the discrepancies in the draft system against the poor and working men of

America.
I propose to look into the decision made to use the draft system and how it affected the Vietnam War, the treatment of veterans, and how the extinction of the lottery draft system was necessary. The significance of this subject remains in the hopes that the draft does not occur again even in the midst of a crisis, due to the downfalls that the system has caused in the past.
Prior to the Vietnam War, the warriors of the military were honored, respected, and celebrated by the American people. However, the Vietnam War created inevitable tension between the American people back home, and our heroic service men who sacrificed their lives in the face of death. This unwavering tension was a direct result of the lottery draft.
As the Draft was implemented during this war, many unqualified men were sent to fight for the freedom of the United States of America. There were unfair loopholes in the system, allowing men to opt out, putting poor and working men at a disadvantage. Following the implementation of the draft was an anti- draft movement that caused further issues for the public. Men would burn their draft cards in spite of the government’s authority.
The men who were drafted and returned home from the war were searching for support, only to return to a country who despised them. The public blamed the men rather than the government who sent them to fight. There were Anti-war protests that often led to rude acts towards the Vietnam Veterans, such as spitting, physical altercations, and other outrageous acts of disrespect.
This future research paper will address three components: how the draft system affected the overall outcome of the Vietnam War, what effects did the draft system cause for the veterans and for the American people, and why the extinction of the draft’s selective service system was essential.

There has been books and scholarly articles written about each of these components. However, there are very few that are written to show a distinct correlation between the three components. I aim to expose a correlation between the three components to develop a collaborated work that answers the ultimate question of, “How did the draft system affect the outcome of the Vietnam War, the treatment of the Veterans, and why was it necessary to put a stop to this

commission?”
I plan to further investigate the protests and movements put into place and the motives behind them. I hope to discover how the forced draft system created a negative perception of the Veteran’s returning home. I want to reveal the unfairness of the government’s plan to send these men to war without considering the aftermath for these people caused by the aftermath of this system. Also, I plan to look into the discrepancies in the draft system itself to reveal the unfairness of the system, and how this randomized system is not made to produce warriors. I will compare casualties and the increased drug use of the servicemen. I plan to combine and organize my findings in a way to present this correlation clearly with the use of facts and other research that will help pave the groundwork for what I hope to achieve through my paper.
To make this research paper possible I plan to use a variety of sources. I have found many scholarly articles and books that present interesting facts that will help support and develop my answer to be achieved concerning the draft system and the Vietnam War. “Violations of War: Testing the Meaning‐Making Model among Vietnam Veterans,” written by Michael Steger, paints a picture of the effects that the war had on the veterans, and their treatment when they returned home. I have found an interesting article written by David Jansson, “The Other Vietnam Syndrome: The Cultural Politics of Corporeal Patriotism and Visual Resistance” that solely focuses on the protests and anti- draft and anti-war movements and will give clarity to this component. I also discovered the article, “An All-Volunteer Force for Long-Term Success” written by Charles Allen, describing the success of an all-volunteer force and how its benefits surpass the draft’s system. These particular sources, along with many more, will make it possible to explain and develop a concrete correlation between the three components and develop an answer for my research question.
Through this research paper I hope to answer my developed research question of “How did the draft system affect the outcome of the Vietnam War, the treatment of the Veterans, and why was it necessary to put a stop to the selective service system?” Through a strategic plan and use of relevant resources I hope to expose the past reality of the draft system along with its lasting effects, in hopes that under no circumstance would the government result back to this system. Rather, encourage the government to keep the All- Volunteer Force system in place so that the warriors of today’s battles will be a qualified asset to our country and our freedom, along with being appreciated by fellow American citizens while fighting for a cause they believe in.