Conscription : individual liberty versus duty : a historical comparison of the Civil War and the Vietnam War

Abstract

The American Civil War and the Vietnam War may seem like they have absolutely no similarities aside from the fact that Americans were involved in both. However, both wars experienced drafts that caused more civil insurrections and dissatisfaction than any other two wars. By using comparative history) I was able to cross time and place to link these two wars intimately. In both wars, the draft tore America apart, intensified class struggles, and hurt nationalism nationwide. In this research paper, I discuss the two wars, the drafts, and the effects of the draft on the home front. This research shows a bridge between wars fought one hundred years apart and just how innately linked they are through conscription and civil ideas on individual liberty versus patriotism.