The 1969 Draft Lottery and Its Impact on American Society

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The 1969 draft lottery was a significant event in American history that randomly selected birth dates to determine the order in which young men would be called for military service during the Vietnam War. This system replaced the previous draft process that had been criticized for its inequities.

Conducted on December 1, 1969, the lottery used 366 blue plastic capsules containing birth dates to establish the order of call for men born between 1944 and 1950. The first capsule drawn contained September 14, making all men born on that date the first to be drafted.

This random selection method aimed to create a fairer system than the previous draft, which had been accused of favoring wealthier individuals who could obtain deferments. The lottery brought the reality of the Vietnam War directly to millions of American families and became a defining moment for the generation coming of age during this turbulent period.