The End of the Military Draft

The End of the Military Draft
Presented by: Dr. Greg Cummings, Nixon Library
In 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War, presidential candidate Richard Nixon ran for election on a platform of abolishing military conscription, or "draft," which had always been a sensitive topic among Americans since the country’s establishment. Nixon's objective of "a full generation of peace," in response to the antiwar movement's focus on the draft, included ending the draft. President Nixon established the Commission on an All-Volunteer Force (commonly known as the Gates Commission) in March 1969, which issued a report in February 1970 calling for the draft's abolishment. The draft law in the United States terminated on July 1, 1973, after Congress failed to renew it.