Mandatory Military Conscription and Its Effect on Society...

In todays society the war in the Middle East can be considered a controversial topic. The men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan put their lives on the line every day to help keep our country free. No one has forced them to serve in the United States Armed Forces they have made their own conscience decision to serve. However these men and women only make up a small percentage of the United States population. Should all men and women be required to serve in the U.S. armed forces when they graduate from high school or should the United States require mandatory military service? Mandatory military service, or conscription, may be as old as mankind itself. Conscription says that during a time of war all able bodied men and women must†¦show more content†¦During World War I about three fourths of the 3.5 million unit armed forces came from conscription. During this time period many people felt that conscription was unconstitutional. However the United States Supreme court upheld the constitutionality of the draft by stating that Article I of the constitution gives Congress the power to â€Å"raise and support Armies†. In the year 1940 after the fall of France in World War II the United States Congress enacted a peace time draft. If drafted during this time period conscripts were only required to serve one year. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor however congress Smith 3 extended the length of the draft and expanded the draft to me aged 18 to 38. Approximately ten million men were drafted through the Selective Service System as a result. Throughout the Cold War the draft helped to maintain the numbers of the U.S. armed forces. The Selective Service System drafted 1.5 million men during the Korean War. During the Vietnam War, draftees were a minority of the United States armed forces. However they accounted for over half of Army battle deaths. At the time of the Vietnam War many people were against the draft and the war itself. This meant that there were many protests against the draft. Eventually President Nixon reduced the number of draftees and gradually recalled troops from Vietnam. The draft officially ended in1973. There are two very obvious sides to conscription. They are thoseShow MoreRelatedMilitary Should Be Mandatory Essay1137 Words   |  5 PagesIn current times, roughly 99.5% of American citizens don’t serve in th e military in their lifetime. But is something that needs to be changed by force? Some people could argue that service in the United States military should be mandatory for everyone–in reality, though, that is an impossible and overall disastrous idea. Military service is something that only some people can do–not all people can deal with the lasting effects of war, including many mental illnesses and Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderRead MoreMandatory Military Service in South Korea1191 Words   |  5 Pagesforces of a country is referred to as the military. This day and age, the military is a huge aspect of many and almost all of the 196 countries today. The military, composed of men and women, are contributing to defending, protecting, and keeping the country functioning. In some cases, where there are not enough volunteers for the military or a threat nearby, a mandatory service is implemented. This means that certain citizens of such country must serve the military for a certain length of time and commitRead MoreShould Military Service Be Mandatory?1426 Words   |  6 PagesShould Military Service be Mandatory in the United States? In the world today, there is approximately fifty percent of countries that mandate their citizens to serve in their military for an extended period of time. Those countries that do require their citizens to serve base it on the simple fact that they need to be ready for war at a moments notice and if all their citizens know how to fight they will succeed in any battle in which they are placed. Israel, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, GermanyRead Moreâ€Å"The battle for Canadian liberty and autonomy is being fought today on the plains of France and1500 Words   |  6 PagesFrance and Belgium,† Borden said while introducing conscription. (Cook, 2011 3 ed., Vol. 13, p.13) At the beginning of the twentieth century, many Canadians were still adjusting to its new ways and ideas. Then the Greatest War the world had ever seen transformed the map of Europe and changed the nations, and the people, who fought in it forever. In Canada, for example, during the war the government faced great challenges such as the conscription crisis when the Country was divided by politics. InRead MoreThe Art of War by Sun Tzu Essay1256 Words   |  6 Pagesnationwide contagion continues to develop, the result will be a country unable to sustain, govern, or defend itself. The solution is evident: military service. Mandatory military service in the United States for individuals 18 years of age for a period of two years would have numerous benefits, as well as alleviate many problems facing America. Compulsory military service gives a second chance to high school dropouts. StatisticBrain.com reports that 90% of jobs in the States are not available to dropoutsRead MoreMandatory Military Service in the United States Essay1952 Words   |  8 PagesMandatory Military Service in the United States The idea that members of a community have the duty to defend it, is as old as civilization itself (Ruschmann 10). The United States has an extensive history, starting with the original thirteen States of involuntary conscription in time of conflict. Citizen’s service is a standard principle of American military service, which places the obligation of service upon citizens to serve and to ensure that the state require those citizens to serve (DalehiteRead More Divisive, But Effectual: Reinstating the Draft Essay1927 Words   |  8 Pagessignificantly. The U.S. is a major military power in the present world; American soldiers are engaged in many multi-theater positions, consequently dispersing troops over various regions worldwide. As only one in ten citizens has served in the US Army, American knowledge of military conditions is rapidly lessening along with the national harmony that complements such knowledge. Therefore, the comprehension that American security is closely asso ciated with a formidable military never resonated within theRead MoreU.s. Military Draft History1449 Words   |  6 PagesMarch 3, 1863. The Northern 1862 draft was an attempt to let states handle their own conscriptions, instead of the old volunteer militia. The next draft took place on September 16, 1940 for World War I and remained in effect continuously until 1973. The president, Woodrow Wilson, decided that â€Å"A draft was needed and nearly 3,000,000 soldiers were drafted following the Service Act of 1917.† (Understanding the U.S. Military Draft History 1). The reasoning behind President Wilson calling for the draft isRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1475 Words   |  6 Pagesentered the conflict under the claim â€Å"that it was defending South Vietnam against aggression from the North† (Anderson and Bourassa). It wasn’t until 1961 that the United States formed an official treaty with South Vietnam, agreeing to provide â€Å"provide military and eco nomic assistance† (Badertscher and Goodwin) and would later sponsor a coup in 1963 that would result in the assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem, the first president of South Vietnam. The reason behind American involvement in Vietnam was not entirelyRead MoreCompulsory Public Service Requirement? Essay example2345 Words   |  10 Pagesutilized a compulsory military and/or public service obligation, the United States of America has maintained the notion that one should feel called / led to serve. Outside of the Selected Service, the U.S. has maintained an All-Volunteer Force. With the continued pressures from the decade long war(s) one could argue that the United States adopts a compulsory public service obligation. History of the United States Selective Service System (SSS) The draft first came into effect during the Civil War