The Draft

Gr 9 Up—This is a fast-paced recap of American military conscription, from the American Revolution to the current war on terror and the conflict in Afghanistan. The film uses interviews with soldiers and others who experienced war, news reports from Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite, and archival footage from many battles and draft protests. (There are graphic scenes of war that will awaken even the most jaded student.) The film effectively covers both sides of the military conscription question: Should we continue to have an all-volunteer service? Viewers are introduced to compelling and meaningful arguments for both sides. Statistics are presented in clear and convincing testimony. Famous figures from history, such as Stokely Carmichael, Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, and Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, add to the debate of the controversial issue of whether the United States should have a draft. The narrative bounces back between the past and the present, making the film relevant. The background music makes the film meaningful and dramatic as well.