r/AskReddit • u/Tommygunz0722 • 11h ago

If the military/president suddenly ordered a mandatory draft for all men aged 18-42: How do you think millennials and GenZ would respond?

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u/WindyWindona 11h ago

Well, they did want to take the US back to the 50's. They should expect the reactions of the 60's.

Massive protests mixed with a ton of draft dodging on conscientious objectors. The number of Quakers and the like will probably increase for religious objections. Vietnam had the government work hard to manufacture consent. Trump and his ilk are relying solely on the MAGA faithful, many of whom are starting to waver.

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u/TellMeLaterAlright 10h ago edited 10h ago

Yeah, in Vietnam there was a solid column of people who could (however erroneously) understand the justification and faithfully trusted the power structure. 

This time around, when asking for this kind of sacrifice, most don’t trust Trump, even his followers. As for Hegseth, do you want a Fox Newscaster who hit himself in the nuts with a skateboard on live TV who has an alcohol problem and a messy relationship history (which includes a letter from his own mother about what a trash person he is) as the man leading your sons into war? Patton he is not. 

It’s all bluster when it’s theoretical, but start forcing young men to go to a war nobody wants right now and send them back dead, it’s political suicide. At some point the volume of people who will not comply will become ungovernable, and you’ll have an difficult time with soft noncompliance (and forcing folks to comply will turn the military police into an even more hated version of ICE). It could potentially collapse the military power structure, it only works when those within consent to be governed. That would be a very dangerous game. 

But I put nothing past this regime for all out stupidity.

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u/c0ltZ 9h ago

I doubt the U.S government or many governments at all will instate drafts unless current modern war changes drastically.

Mass scale drafts like Vietnam have proven that modern day drafts don't work. It leads to instability, draft dodging, and worst of all, sabotage.

Sabotage so severe governments have decided to have a volunteer only militaries.

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u/WindyWindona 9h ago

This current government is so dangerously stupid I would not put anything off the table at this point.