Draft Dodging

For every draft (formally known as conscription), there will always be draft dodgers. Refusing military induction and fleeing military service mid-commitment are both considered criminal offenses. While this crime is domestic, it can become a transnational issue. For example, during the Vietnam War foreign havens—particularly Canada—quickly became a popular destination of those fleeing the U.S. military draft. Canada (and other nations) provided a refuge from prosecution and made resistance against military conscription during the Vietnam War an issue of international crime.

As a matter of terminology, it is important to clarify what draft dodging entails. The term is misleading. Dodging, or employing legal means to avoid service, allowed young men to elude service without risk of prosecution or conviction. These men found legal loopholes to avoid ...