Which young men should be sent to fight in Vietnam? Amidst a growing public outcry against the biases in the system, the United States instituted a live televised lottery draft on December 1st, 1969.

In a sombre spectacle, plexiglass drums and capsules containing birthdates were drawn live on CBS, dictating the order in which men born on that day might be conscripted. Youth delegates participated to symbolize approval from the draftees’ generation, but some refused to cooperate; one storming off live on air, others making peace signs or reading out protests during the broadcast.

Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how this dystopian ‘Hunger Games’ lottery came to be; consider the effect Vietnam the draft had on parenting and college statistics back home; and track their own birthdays to discover when they would have been drafted…

Further Reading:

• ‘Live From Washington, It's Lottery Night 1969!’ (HistoryNet, 2009):

https://www.historynet.com/live-from-dc-its-lottery-night-1969/

• ’Curtis W. Tarr, Selective Service chief who ran the Vietnam War draft lottery, dies at 88’ (The Washington Post, 2013):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/curtis-w-tarr-selective-service-chief-who-ran-the-vietnam-war-draft-lottery-dies-at-88/2013/06/26/7c615842-de97-11e2-b2d4-ea6d8f477a01_story.html

• ‘The Draft Lottery’ (CBS, 1969): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl29gRRppBg

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.

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