ZERO DRAFT

Description:

"Zero Draft" provides a historical overview of the draft and conscription in the United States, highlighting key events and changes over time from the Civil War to WWI, WWII and the Vietnam Era, with the all-volunteer concept arriving in 1973. The film also seems to have an agenda of sorts, promoting the "new Army" with enhancements such as relatively high pay and good quality of life.

The "zero draft" had its genesis during the 1968 presidential election, when Richard Nixon campaigned on a promise to end the draft. Nixon had become interested in the idea of an all-volunteer army during his time out of office, based upon a paper by Martin Anderson of Columbia University, and in part due to the efforts of ardent anti-draft activist-economist and Nobel laureate, Milton Friedman. (Nixon also saw ending the draft as an effective way to undermine the anti-Vietnam War movement since he believed affluent youths would stop protesting the war once their own probability of having to fight in it was gone.) The draft was not resumed in 1973.

• 0:36: This edition of the Screen News Digest was sponsored by the Girard Bank, which is putting bike racks in the local community in Philadelphia.

• 0:48: Newsreel begins. Introduction of "Zero Draft," a new concept for a modern volunteer army.

• 1:16: The first draft in American history was held in 1863 during the Civil War.

• 1:33: In the North, exemptions could be bought, leading to riots and the eventual abolition of the practice.

• 1:54: The draft was used on a large scale for the first time in World War I.

• 2:07: President Woodrow Wilson asked for a declaration of war against Germany in April 1917.

• 2:22: The Selective Service Act was passed, and the first draft number was drawn.

• 2:56: Over a million and a half Americans were drafted and sent to Army camps for training.

• 3:12: The draft was repeated three times in half a century.

• 4:02: After World War I, America reverted to an all-volunteer army.

• 4:16: Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, and Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933.

• 5:03: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first peacetime draft into law in 1940.

• 5:28: The first number drawn in the new draft was serial number 158.

• 6:00: Induction process -- draftees get medical checks. They were called to serve for a year and paid $21 a month. Draftees shown in a barracks, chow line, etc.

• 7:13: The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, united the nation in war.

7:48: American men say goodbye to their families and head to boot camp.

• 8:04: 13 million Americans were drafted during World War II. V-E and V-J Day celebrations in New York. "Separation Center" in Ft. Douglas, New York.

• 9:02: After the war, the draft ended, but the Cold War led to its reinstatement.

• 10:02: Universal military training was proposed by President Truman and endorsed by General Eisenhower.

• 10:43: Vietnam War anti-draft protests. Resistance to the draft grew during the Vietnam War, leading to its end in 1973.

• 11:19: The draft was replaced by an all-volunteer military force.

• 12:01: The modern volunteer U.S. Army focuses on job satisfaction and living conditions. Food shown includes hamburgers, milk, and an "end to K.P." or kitchen patrol.

• 12:47: Military pay, $327 per month, visual: dollar bills put out on a counter. Benefits have improved significantly.

• 13:05: Individual learning centers offer educational opportunities for soldiers. Here, a soldier watches a slide show or filmstrip about artillery fire from a Kodak Ektagraphic projector.

• 13:59: Despite progress, the goal of maintaining a volunteer army is not yet assured.

• 14:14: The army is making progress in racial integration and creating a better environment for soldiers.

Transcription

[Music] it isn't hard to find fresh air in the country but the city's a different story here we really have to fight pollution that's why Gerard bank is putting bike racks around town to make it easier for you to fight pollution at Gerard Bank we take clean air [Music] [Music] seriously zero Draft A New Concept in safeguarding America's security with a modern volunteer army [Music] [Music] 1863 the first draft in American history is held during the Civil War both North and South must resort to conscription to fill the ranks of their armies but in the north exemptions can be bought and substitutes paid to serve charges of a rich man's war and a poor man's fight trigger four days of rioting in New York City and the practice is [Music] abolished the draft is used for the first time on a large scale in World War I in April 1917 President Woodrow Wilson asks for and Congress authorizes a declaration of war against Germany and the Central Powers a month later a Selective Service Act is passed and the president draws the first number 258 in a draft of men for military service it continues without interruption for 16 and 1/2 hours more than a million and a half Americans are called examined and sent on their way to army camps for basic training the citizen soldiers Shape Up and make do learning that Army khaki generally comes in two sizes too big and too small Johnny Doughboy is answering the call to make the world safe for democracy three times in half a century the ritual will be repeated as Young Americans are drafted into the service of their [Music] country over there the victory is won crowds cheer bands play and pretty girls throw flowers as Johnny Comes Marching Home from the war to end all wars the draft has expired America reverts to an all volunteer army of 300,000 [Music] men 1931 Japan invades Manchuria 1933 the plastia casts it Shadow over Germany as Adolf Hitler comes to [Music] power 1935 Benito musolini sends his Italian Legions against Ethiopia 1939 Nazi Germany unleashes its Blitz cre against Poland 1940 France Falls England stands alone and in the United States President Franklin D Roosevelt signs into law the first peacetime draft in history the numbers in the new draft are picked from the same Fishbowl used in World War I the first number drawn by the Secretary of War is serial number 158 I'm iny I a in theid [Music] celect te's can sing of helping to keep their country safe and [Music] free rise and shine boy up what time you 6:15 get up you BL up come on Bo let's get up draes are called to serve for a year and are paid as the song says $21 a day once a [Music] month the peacetime draft is unpopular and in 1941 its extension passes the House of Representatives by a single vote Camp weekends are for wives girlfriends families and so it is on a Sunday afternoon that will live in [Music] infamy December 7th 19 1941 a nation divided in peace is united in war as 3,000 Americans die in the Holocaust at Pearl Harbor now the draft becomes the means of mobilizing the mightiest fighting force in United States history 13 million Americans are called to the colors from factories and Fields cities and [Music] towns for 3 and one A2 years gii Joe carries Freedom's Crusade around the world North Africa Italy France Germany and the jungles of the South Pacific from anzio to bugenvil Bastone to Okinawa American fighting men spearhead the victory [Music] march Japan surrenders and Emperor Hirohito is hanged in effigy VJ Day August 14th 1945 the war is one the boys come home and within a year some 10 million servicemen are mustered out of the Army Navy and the Marines America has had enough of War now the nation yearns only for peace the draft ends but a peacetime cold war is developing between the free and communist worlds President Truman urges a new draft we can fulfill Our obligation of service in the cause of Peace only by maintaining our strength the will for peace without the strength for peace is of no avail General Eisenhower echoes the president's words Universal military training as proposed by the president endorsed by the veterans of the United States and by a majority of the people is the least burdensome and the most Equitable solution yet suggested and so in 1948 Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 sign up for compulsory military service when American troops are sent into combat in Korea and later Vietnam the draft provides the bulk of the fighting [Music] men in the United States resistance to the draft grows as upwards of 300,000 men a year are called induction centers are blocked draft cards burned and selective service records destroyed resulting in a arrests trials and imprisonment finally in January 1973 the draft is ended and replaced by an all volunteer military force at Fort Benning Georgia Colonel Robert Oran speaks of the Army's New Look for the past two years or so the United States Army has been engaged in what I believe to be one of the major struggles of its almost two centuries of existence and I'm referring not so much to the war in Vietnam as to the Army's battle to create a better Army and what we're trying to do under our current leadership style is to create a climate of job satisfaction of living and working conditions in which we take account of each man's individuality in this man's Army dormatory like rooms for two have replaced the Stark old Barracks that used to house 20 to 30 men and GIS are encouraged to personalize their quarters from hamburgers and french fries to full course dinners the food has never been better GIS have a wide selection appetizers to desserts and there are no limits on seconds the new lifestyle includes attractive dining rooms and best of all an end to KP civilian Personnel now police the [Music] kitchen military pay is the highest in history recruits get $37.20 a month plus free room and board medical benefits and discount prices at post [Music] exchanges individual Learning Centers offer slide in film presentations on civilian and Military subjects the United States Army infantry School presents the call for an adjustment of artillery [Music] fire the rapid everchanging pace of the modern Battlefield often thrusts soldiers into to positions requiring immediate fire support while much has changed some Army routines remain the same still the service is enlisting and retaining more recruits an all volunteer army will require an estimated 400,000 men a year as replacements for personnel that are being discharged or are retiring despite significant progress in attracting quality Manpower in quantity numbers the goal is not yet assured however Colonel orand is optimistic as he reviews the achievements of the modern volunteer army we are getting to know each other we are getting to learn to understand each other we are learning to make racial progress in a way that the Army has never made progress before and all in all I think this counts for the fact that the United States Army is winning its battle to create a better Army at Gerard Bank we take clean air seriously


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