The Selective Service draft ended in 1973, affecting young men during different historical periods, including WWII and the Vietnam War.
The Selective Service draft ended in 1973. The first peacetime draft, the Selective Training and Service Act, was established in 1940 during WWII. The Selective Service System was used to draft men into combat for wars such as Vietnam, with men required to register with their local draft boards.
During the draft period, young men tried to avoid military service due to growing doubts about U.S. involvement in conflicts like the Vietnam War. The Selective Service laws operated as a form of manhood conscription, enrolling millions of men during different historical periods.