The US first tried to establish a draft for use in the War of 1812, but the Congress denied James Madison's request. Prior to the US Civil War, the various colonies and later States provided the Militias and the Federal government forces in a manner that they deemed appropriate, usually by providing a bounty for their enlistment. Lincoln received the authority for a federal draft, but the number actually drafted into service was quite small, totalling only about two percent of the force. WWI brought on the first large scale conscription effort. The third draft was for WWII and it expired as the Law of the Land in 1947 after a total of 10 million men had been inducted. Draft number four was put into place in 1948 and covered the Cold War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and ended in December of 1972. The framework for a future draft is in place, but for now, the US operates with an all volunteer force.
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