Draft, Military, also called conscription or national service, is a system of selecting men, and occasionally women, for required military service. A nation’s needs for military personnel determine how long a conscript must serve and the branch of the armed forces in which he or she serves.
Governments have often conscripted men when they needed larger military forces than they felt they could get through voluntary enlistments. Many countries use a draft during wartime. Some nations also operate a draft in peacetime. Other countries have never had a draft.
Military drafts throughout history.
The armies of ancient Greece and Rome conscripted men at times, though they generally relied on professional troops or hired foreign troops. In Europe during the Middle Ages, to bear arms was considered a privilege of the nobility. Ordinary men were not conscripted, but they could be called to military service in times of extreme emergency. Rulers often employed mercenaries (soldiers who offer their services for hire) to increase the size of their forces.
King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden conscripted men to fight the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). France began conscription during the French Revolution (1789-1799), and Napoleon I later drafted huge armies for his conquests. Conscription in the United States began in colonial times, when most colonies required all able-bodied men to serve in a local militia. Most colonies sent militia troops to fight in the Revolutionary War in America (1775-1783). In the 1800’s, Prussia produced a large, skilled army by calling up small groups of conscripts for a year’s training and then placing them in the reserves. During the American Civil War (1861-1865), both the Union and the Confederacy called up members of state militias to fight and also drafted other men for service.
Several of the countries involved in World War I (1914-1918) began conscripting troops at the outbreak of the war. These countries included Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, and Russia. The United Kingdom and the United States began conscripting men later during the war. Other countries called up civilians that they had earlier drafted and trained as reservists. During World War II (1939-1945), all the warring countries used mass conscription.
In the United States, the draft for World War II ended in 1946. But the government reinstated a draft from 1948 to 1972 because of its deep involvement in world affairs, the tensions created by the Cold War, and U.S. commitments in the Vietnam War (1957-1975).
Military drafts today.
Today, modern methods of warfare have generally reduced the need for large military forces. Many countries, including the United States, have abandoned the draft and returned to all-volunteer armies. This system tends to produce armed forces with better-trained personnel who serve for longer periods. But its disadvantages include difficulty in attracting enough people when needed. In addition, some people believe that an all-volunteer force can become too independent from the general public. Many people think that military service should be an obligation of a country’s citizenship. Also, some see the draft—and resulting lower military pay—as a way to reduce military spending.
Many of the countries of Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Europe still rely on a draft to supply or to supplement their armed forces. In some of these countries, drafted soldiers serve for only a short time, often less than a year, before returning to civilian life.
