Vietnam Lotteries | Selective Service System (2024)

FAQs

How did the lottery system work in Vietnam? ›

The draft lottery was based on birth dates. There were 366 blue plastic capsules containing birth dates (including February 29) placed into a glass container. The capsules were drawn by hand, opened one by one, and then assigned to a sequence from 1 until 366.

Method. In principle, the function of the first draft was to select dates within a calendar year at random, with men whose birthdays matched those dates being drafted according to the sequence the dates were selected. The 366 days of the year (including February 29) were printed on slips of paper.

The United States military conscripted approximately 1.9 million service personnel into their ranks over the course of the Vietnam War. Commonly known as the draft, conscription had been conducted in the U.S. through the Selective Service System (SSS) since 1917.

Anti-war activists recognized the draft lottery system did not produce truly random results. The draft received even more resistance as dissenters became more frustrated with the system. Finally, Nixon ended the draft in January 1973, but by then the war was almost over.

A lottery's system typically involves picking a set of numbers, usually between 1-49. Players choose six numbers, either by purchasing tickets with predetermined numbers or by selecting the numbers themselves. Once all tickets have been sold, the lottery host will draw six numbers (known as the winning numbers).

Lotteries were frequently used in colonial-era America to finance public works projects such as paving streets, constructing wharves, even building churches. In the 18th century, lotteries were used to finance construction of buildings at Harvard and Yale.

Expert-Verified Answer

A lottery system was put in place for the military draft to create a more fair system. On Dec. 1, 1969, the United States held its first draft lottery, which gave young men a random number corresponding to their birthdays.

Perhaps the greatest geographic challenge for U.S. soldiers, however, was Vietnam's rugged topography. Troops had to march through soggy, lowland rice paddies and swamps and over steep, jungle-clad mountains. The heavily forested terrain often made it difficult to locate the enemy.

The challenges on the ground during the war

This included guerrilla warfare, hit-and-run tactics, and the extensive use of a network of tunnels, making it difficult for the U.S. forces to engage them directly or achieve decisive victories.

Who was the youngest Vietnam veteran? ›

When he was just 14 years old, Bullock walked into a U.S. Marine Corps recruitment station. He falsified the date on his birth certificate to read December 21, 1949 so he could pass as 18 years old. Bullock enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on September 18, 1968.

During the 11-year campaign, approximately 2.7 million American men and woman served; of those, 58,220 died and 153,000 were wounded. Today, there are fewer than 850,000 living Vietnam War veterans, many of whom who are eligible for VA benefits. What benefits are available for Vietnam War veterans?

American draft evaders who left for Canada and became prominent there include politician Jim Green, gay rights advocate Michael Hendricks, attorney Jeffry House, author Keith Maillard, playwright John Murrell, television personality Eric Nagler, film critic Jay Scott, and musician Jesse Winchester.

A lottery drawing – the first since 1942 – was held on December 1, 1969, at Selective Service National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. This event determined the order of call for induction during calendar year 1970; that is, for registrants born between January 1, 1944, and December 31, 1950.

During the Vietnam War, college students could avoid being drafted by obtaining a deferment. Deferments allowed individuals to postpone their military service, often until they completed their education or until the deferment period ended.

Commissioners appointed by the governor drew a name ticket from one wheel and a district/lot ticket from the other wheel. If the district/lot ticket was blank, the person received nothing. If the ticket contained a district/lot number, the person received a prize of that parcel of land.

The lottery then takes place, and each date is paired with a number at random. For example, if January 19 is picked from the "date" capsule and the number 59 picked from the "number" capsule, all men of age 20 born on January 19 will be the 59th group to receive induction notices.

Some draft eligible men publicly burned their draft cards, but the Justice Department brought charges against only 50, of whom 40 were convicted. As US troop strength in Vietnam increased, some young men sought to evade the draft by pro-actively enlisting in military forces that were unlikely to see combat in Vietnam.

N71 gives the results of the lottery held on August 5, 1971, for men born in 1952. The highest lottery number called for this group was 95; all men assigned that lottery number or any lower number, and who were classified as available for military service, were called to report for possible induction.