Thirteenth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

From 2003 to 2011, Iraq was the site of a battle between the US military and a series of enemies. Many noted similarities between the Iraq War and the war undertaken some 40 years earlier by the same world power in Vietnam. Nevertheless, one major difference is apparent: the anti-war domestic response during both wars. While intensive protests did not take place during the Iraq War, the opposite occurred during Vietnam. This research argues that the reason for this was the presence of a different military on each battlefield. While the US had a conscription-based force during Vietnam, an all-volunteer military was present in Iraq. The distance between civilians and soldiers, physically and socially, changed as a result of the difference in the mode of recruitment present during the two conflicts. A conscription-based force during the Vietnam War led to a close relationship between civilians and soldiers because the former had a higher degree of identification and sympathy to the latter. Thus, there was an increased propensity for participation in anti-war protests. On the other hand, the all-volunteer military of the Iraq War resulted in a distant relationship between civilians and soldiers, whereas the former had a lower degree of identification and sympathy towards the latter. Thus, there was a decreased propensity for participation in anti-war acts. This research, which evaluates the US, which many other states seek to emulate, can be useful to others, such as Israel, who are currently deliberating the implications of transitioning to an all-volunteer military.