In the first episode of With Good Reason’s new documentary series on the Vietnam War, historians and veterans of the war explore the story of the draft — who it ensnared, who escaped, and the trauma it left on a generation of Americans.

Skip to show segment

Trauma

Wilbur Scott & Fred Turner

Historians Fred Turner and Wilbur J. Scott explore how the self-image of America was shattered in Vietnam, and hear the first-hand accounts of veterans’ return to America after the trauma of conflict.

28 mins

The Draft

Christian Appy

We return to the living rooms of America at the moment when the draft lottery was broadcast on national television. Vietnam veterans and historian Christian G. Appy walk us through the experience of being plucked from suburban life and set on the road to war.

25 mins

National Endowment for the Humanities Logo

This series and the educational resource below were made possible by a major grant from The National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor. For more information about the NEH and its programming, visit www.NEH.gov.

Special thanks to Wesley Abney, William “Bogie” Holland, Eric Fox, Ron Ritter, and Newport News Shipbuilding for their support in making this series.

Educational Resouces

This type of content is made possible by listeners like you. Please consider partnering with us and help enrich the lives of all our listeners nationwide.

Support With Good Reason