Skip to content

Milton Friedman on The draft and the volunteer army

But, in the interim, the new Administration could reduce enormously the bitterness, … and division arising from the Vietnam conflict by taking a major first step toward an all-volunteer army: sending no more draftees to Vietnam.
No Draftees to Vietnam
Column, 1968, Newsweek (December 30, 1968); reprinted in full in the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, January 16, 1969, pp. 1161 to 1162, introduced by Representative Henry B. Gonzalez as “Mr. Friedman’s column, from the December 30, 1968, issue of Newsweek”, Congressional Record, January 16, 1969, p. 1161
Checked against the sourceRead the originalCite this passage

Where this comes from

Checked against the sourceThe wording was checked against the work itself.

Topics

He also said

  1. The first question hardly needs discussion. Men who agree on little else about Vietnam would agree on the desirability of not using conscripts to fight the war.
    No Draftees to Vietnam
    Column, 1968, Newsweek (December 30, 1968); reprinted in full in the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, January 16, 1969, pp. 1161 to 1162, introduced by Representative Henry B. Gonzalez as “Mr. Friedman’s column, from the December 30, 1968, issue of Newsweek”, Congressional Record, January 16, 1969, p. 1161
    Checked against the sourceRead the original
  2. As a longtime proponent of an all-volunteer armed force, I regard the end of the draft as one of President Nixon’s and then-Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird’s finest hours. No other measure has done so much to end the divisions that were threatening to tear this nation apart. No other measure has done so much to reduce the real cost of defending the nation.
    Volunteer Armed Force: Failure or Victim?
    Column, 1974, Newsweek, February 11, 1974; reprinted in the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, February 27, 1974, p. 4572, introduced by Representative William A. Steiger of Wisconsin, who cites it as appearing “in the February 11 Newsweek”, Congressional Record, February 27, 1974, p. 4572
    Checked against the sourceRead the original
  3. The difficulties are real. But they are far from insuperable. They offer a challenge to the men who run the armed forces, not a reason for rejecting a policy that offers so many advantages.
    No Draftees to Vietnam
    Column, 1968, Newsweek (December 30, 1968); reprinted in full in the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, January 16, 1969, pp. 1161 to 1162, introduced by Representative Henry B. Gonzalez as “Mr. Friedman’s column, from the December 30, 1968, issue of Newsweek”, Congressional Record, January 16, 1969, p. 1162
    Checked against the sourceRead the original

Think this quote is wrong, misattributed, or missing context?Report it and it gets fixed, not argued with.