Throughout most of the twentieth century, American military personnel were drafted into service. A conscripted force served the nation in both world wars, Korea, and Vietnam. But in the late 1960s, the draft came under intense scrutiny and was viewed by the American public with growing dissatisfaction and a sense of inequity. The mounting unease over the draft prompted President Richard Nixon to establish a special commission - The President's Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force, also known as the Gates Commission - to study the alternatives. After much debate within the Administration...
Throughout most of the twentieth century, American military personnel were drafted into service. A conscripted force served the nation in both world w...
