How did the government recruit soldiers?

In what war are you wanting to know of the recruiting style? Most of the time the government would send you a draft card and if they felt that you were able-bodied enough they would draft you. If you put in that you were handicapped or had many children then your draft would be reviewed, you might not have gone. Military service could be a choice of a judge, rather than sending a miscreant to prison. Today the majority of armed forces in the world are volunteeers, although there are still some countries that insist on 'National Service' short term conscription.

they also put posters up to get people to join