Draft Dodgers Essay

The Vietnam War was one of the deadliest wars, fought by North Vietnam and South Vietnam in 1955. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union and China, whereas South Vietnam was supported by the United States. The Vietnam War began when a North Vietnamese torpedo boat attacked the U.S.S. Maddox and the U.S.S. Turner Joy in the Gulf of Tonkin. Following the declaration of the war, more than 500,000 draftees chose not to report for duty, some burned their draft cards, some skipped the induction, and some even fled the country. These people were known as “draft dodgers,” anyone who left the country during this time faced a number of consequences, including imprisonment or even being denied entry back into the United States. Draft dodgers

When word eventually spread about draft dodgers in the South, people became outraged and saw them as cowards. The video, Draft Resisters Many Years Later, depicts various perspectives of draft dodgers as well as outside perspectives of US residents. Many “Draft Dodgers” felt belittled by the term and referred to themselves as Draft resisters. They felt that if people refused to fight or field, there would be an end to the wars. Dave Elliot, one of the draft dodgers interviewed in the video, explains how he received hate mail from many US citizens and veterans. In the video, the news anchor explains, “Dave Elliot was flooded with hate mail. This is nothing more than a slap in the face to me and all Americans. These men are not heroes, but they are cowards” (2:19 - 2:25). This is part of a letter that Dave Elliot received during this time, along with much more hate mail. Americans were dissatisfied with the draft dodgers decisions, viewing them as unfair, cowardly, and disrespectful to the country. David Harris, another draft dodger during the Vietnam War, spoke out about his

In the article, I Picked Prison Over Fighting in Vietnam, David Harris explains, I was among the quarter-million to half-million men who violated the law that required us to register for military service and face deployment to Vietnam — the draft. About 25,000 of us were indicted for our disobedience, almost 9,000 convicted and 3,250 jailed. I am proud to have been one of the men who, from behind bars, helped pull our country out of its moral quagmire (Harris). David claims that his time in prison was worthwhile because he believed he helped the country escape its “moral quagmire,” but the country went on to fight in the Vietnam War and many other wars that followed. Despite David Harris and many other men’s protests, the country still continues to go to war when necessary. Nonetheless, many Americans continue to regard David Harris and his followers as cowards, due to the fact that jail is not nearly as dangerous as combat. On the other hand, during the Vietnam War draft, many men believed it was their responsibility to fight, even if they did not believe in