On December 1, 1969, the U.S. held its first Vietnam Draft Lottery, televised live. This event determined the order of call for military service, based on birth dates, impacting young men across the country. The lottery used a random drawing of dates to establish the order of conscription, changing lives and influencing opinions on the Vietnam War. | History In Pictures

On December 1, 1969, the United States held its first televised draft lottery for the Vietnam War. Young men aged 19 to 26 watched anxiously as birthdates were drawn to determine the order of induction into military service. The process involved selecting 366 capsules, each representing a day of the year, to assign draft numbers. Those with lower numbers faced a higher likelihood of being called to serve. | History In Pictures