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During the Vietnam war, could men of military age just cross the border legally into Mexico or Canada?

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Nilhus

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Seeing that Russia has not yet closed the border for men of military age and lots of them simply walk out to other countries legally, I'm wondering if the same was the case during the Vietnam war for American men.

Google is not very helpful these days.
 
All you had to do was drive to any border crossing. The Border Agency/Customs people might ask you a few routine questions about destination & restricted items and you were free to go on your merry way.

It was pretty rare being asked deep personal questions unless you were on their radar.......... and especially ones like being a draft dodger.

I crossed the border at least a 50 times before I joined the Navy as I had family in PEI, NB, and NS. I also did a little logging over the border with some Canadian friends making a little money on the hush hush. I used to cross over through Jackman Maine a lot.

I also played some hockey in a few small towns around Fredericton and St. John NB and Sherbrook with a travel league.

Things were really laid back in that era and the US/Canadian border was much more casual on both sides.
 
Nilhus said:
Seeing that Russia has not yet closed the border for men of military age and lots of them simply walk out to other countries legally, I'm wondering if the same was the case during the Vietnam war for American men.

Google is not very helpful these days.
Click to expand...
The US has no exit controls.
 
Yes draft dodgers were allowed into Canada and allowed to stay.
 
Nilhus said:
Seeing that Russia has not yet closed the border for men of military age and lots of them simply walk out to other countries legally, I'm wondering if the same was the case during the Vietnam war for American men.

Google is not very helpful these days.
Click to expand...

The USA never, as far as I'm aware, established border control to prevent men from leaving the country, in order to escape the Vietnam war.
 
Nilhus said:
Seeing that Russia has not yet closed the border for men of military age and lots of them simply walk out to other countries legally, I'm wondering if the same was the case during the Vietnam war for American men.

Google is not very helpful these days.
Click to expand...
wasn't having to stay in canada punishment enough*?!














* just kidding Canadians ... except for the winter weather
 
Pres. Ford issued a "conditional amnesty" to USA draft dodgers of the VN war who had fled to Canada.

Conditional on two years of satisfactory public service on their return to the USA.

Canada had cheerfully accepted USA draft dodgers as promising young Americans who would be contributors to the Canadian economy and society.

USA wanted 'em back and got the great majority of 'em.

The great national veterans organizations opposed the conditional amnesty because the young Americans had been draft dodgers. The amnesty went ahead anyway. Pres. Ford did the right thing regardless.
 
And then President Carter pardoned them:

"On January 21, 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter grants an unconditional pardon to hundreds of thousands of men who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War"


President Carter pardons draft dodgers

On January 21, 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter grants an unconditional pardon to hundreds of thousands of men who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War. In
www.history.com www.history.com
 
Nilhus said:
Seeing that Russia has not yet closed the border for men of military age and lots of them simply walk out to other countries legally, I'm wondering if the same was the case during the Vietnam war for American men.

Google is not very helpful these days.
Click to expand...


Yes.

At some Canadian crossings, volunteers set up 'welcome centers', with basic information, how to apply for social security, etc. (A friend worked at the Peace Bridge crossing in Fort Erie where they also converted money, and offered free pot.)

At that time, it was the ultimate political '**** you" we could imagine and classically Canadian, understated, semi secret and friendly. By the time Nixon arrived it was a force. The late Pierre Trudeau visited one of the centers on his way to his first term as prime minister.

Being a draft dodger was only less cool than being a leader of a rock band.

Under Canadian law they didn't even have to declare refugee status, but they could. A valid DL or BC was all they needed. Having an official call up notice was currency on the street
 
Fearandloathing said:
Yes.

At some Canadian crossings, volunteers set up 'welcome centers', with basic information, how to apply for social security, etc. (A friend worked at the Peace Bridge crossing in Fort Erie where they also converted money, and offered free pot.)
At that time, it was the ultimate political '**** you" we could imagine and classically Canadian, understated, semi secret and friendly. By the time Nixon arrived it was a force. The late Pierre Trudeau visited one of the centers on his way to his first term as prime minister.
Being a draft dodger was only less cool than being a leader of a rock band.
Under Canadian law they didn't even have to declare refugee status, but they could. A valid DL or BC was all they needed. Having an official call up notice was currency on the street
Click to expand...
Conservative college guys were furious about it for several reasons that included political as only one of 'em.

Because as the saying went at the time, girls say yes to boys who say no. :cool:

Conservatives were left to themselves. ;)

So to speak.
 
Nilhus said:
Seeing that Russia has not yet closed the border for men of military age and lots of them simply walk out to other countries legally, I'm wondering if the same was the case during the Vietnam war for American men.
Click to expand...

Yes, or anywhere else in the world. There is no wall around the US to prevent people from leaving.

However, then you have the issue of the other country accepting you. Just as coming to the US, other countries have their own laws for accepting foreigners as legal residents. So for somebody moving to Canada from the US, it is really no different from somebody moving from the US to Canada. You have to meet their emigration requirements, and then follow their laws. People actually do get deported back to the US from Canada and Mexico, and other countries.

There was a story long ago that I read about somebody that did that and did not think of the consequences. They had been born in Germany during the occupation to an American father and German mother. And not wanting to be drafted, he renounced his US citizenship and moved to Germany. Where a year later he was drafted into the Heer. He eventually regained his US citizenship and returned, and talked about how poorly he was treated during his time in the German Army, as he barely spoke German and he was constantly abused by those he served with.

I want to say it was a news magazine like Time or Newsweek I had read that in, and it must have been the early 1980s because it was about the time they were starting the Selective Service system.
 
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