Greeting: America and the Draft · Episode 1 of 12 · 20 min
Greeting: The 1969 Lottery and Two Questions About the Draft
For two centuries one word, "Greeting," opened the letter that could send an American man to war. The series opens on the night of December 1, 1969, with a glass jar of 366 birthday capsules drawn on live television. It poses the questions it will test: was the draft ever a lottery of equals, and what does the country owe objectors who served for no pay and no benefits.
Who's who
- Alexander Pirnie+1 more episodeNew York congressman who drew the first capsule in the 1969 lottery
- Lewis B. Hershey+4 more episodesLongtime Director of the Selective Service System
- Richard Nixon+15 more episodesPresident who signed the order reviving a draft lottery in 1969
- Roger MuddCBS correspondent who anchored the live lottery coverage
Where it happens
- Selective Service headquarters, Washington, D.C.Site of the live December 1969 lottery broadcast
Timeline
- 1940First peacetime draft lottery held, a visual precedent for 1969
- September 1969Nixon signs the order reviving a lottery in place of oldest-first call-ups
- December 1, 1969366 capsules drawn on live television; September 14 comes up as number 1
- 1970Numbers 1 through 195 end up being reached for induction
Still debated
Historians debate how unequal the draft was by class and race, and whether the 1969 lottery was a genuine equalizer or mostly a legitimacy exercise. Later analysis showed the draw was not statistically random, a flaw distinct from the social unfairness of deferments.
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The Motherhood Penalty: The Childcare Bill Nixon VetoedHaving It All · Episode 5Also features Richard Nixon
The Day the Mail Left the RailsNeither Snow Nor Rain · Episode 4Also features Richard Nixon