Conscription facts for kids

A lottery wheel used to choose young people for military service.

Conscription, also known as the draft, is when a government requires its citizens to join the armed forces. This usually means young people must serve for a period. Most often, only men are called for service. However, in some countries like Israel, both men and women are conscripted. A person who is forced to serve in the army is called a conscript.

Conscription can be mandatory, meaning everyone eligible must serve. Sometimes, people may try to avoid it. Often, there are special reasons why someone might not have to serve. For example, if young men are in college, they might be allowed to delay or skip their service.

The first big, modern army made of conscripts was the French Grand Army. This happened after the French Revolution. Conscription became a common way for countries to build large armies. Many powerful armies around the world used conscription. Even the British Army relied heavily on conscripts during the World Wars.

Challenges of Conscription

Armies made of conscripts can be very large. However, they sometimes have problems. Soldiers might not have the best equipment or training. Their morale, or spirit, can also be low. In battles, these armies often suffer many losses. Conscripts usually get very little pay. Some people see conscription as a type of forced work.

In many countries, young people who refuse to join the army can be sent to prison. During the Vietnam War, many young men in the United States tried to avoid conscription. This was called "dodging the draft."

Why Conscription Can Be Useful

There are also reasons why some people support conscription. Some believe it is fair because everyone shares the duty of serving their country. A small country with few people can build a strong army through conscription.

If a country is surrounded by unfriendly neighbors, war could start at any time. Or if a country is a "buffer state" (located between two powerful military groups), training all young people as soldiers can be a good idea for defense.

Alternatives to Conscription

Instead of conscription, countries can use other systems. One is a militia system, like in Switzerland. Here, citizens train as soldiers but are not full-time military members. Another option is a professional army made up of volunteers.

The United States stopped using conscription during the Cold War. The Vietnam War was very unpopular. After that, the U.S. Army decided it wanted volunteers instead of conscripts. Volunteers often have a stronger desire to serve. Many other Western countries followed this example. Today, some countries like Finland, Russia, and Turkey still have universal conscription.

In Germany, conscription for the Bundeswehr (their armed forces) ended in July 2011. This decision came after a long discussion in the German Bundestag (their parliament).

Conscientious Objectors

People who are against joining the army because of their beliefs are called conscientious objectors. They often believe in pacifism, which means they are against war and violence. Some countries still draft conscientious objectors. However, they give them jobs where they do not have to fight in combat.

Images for kids

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  Painting depicting a battle during the Ōnin War

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  Ottoman janissaries

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  Conscription of Poles to the Russian Army in 1863 (by Aleksander Sochaczewski)

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  Young men registering for conscription during World War I, New York City, June 5, 1917

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  USSR conscripts, Moscow, 1941

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  Female Israeli soldiers

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  A terracotta soldier with his horse, China, 210–209 BC

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  Conscription duty as Royal Life Guards in Copenhagen

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  Finnish conscripts swearing their military oath at the end of their basic training period

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  Evzones of the Presidential Guard in front of the Greek Parliament armed with M1 Garands

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  Swedish conscripts in 2008

See also

In Spanish: Conscripción para niños