In the early 1960s president Richard Nixon held commission to determine the best way to keep up the strength of the U.S. armed forces. There were two choices: a draft or an all-volunteer army. Nixon and Congress went with an all-volunteer army, a rule that was broken not ten years later in the first draft lottery since WW II.   Nixon was elected in 1968, and took office in 1969, and then initiated the draft by lottery

This day, September 14, in 1969, represented by the number 257, was the first date drawn manually from the 366 blue plastic capsules — one for every day in the year — in a bowl. All men aged 18-26 born on September 14, would be called up, with the specific order determined by their initials.

in a televised ceremony, one hundred and ninety-five dates were drawn in total. Some called up moved to Canada instead to avoid the draft; others made a public show about burning their draft cards and choosing the legal consequences. The antiwar sentiment peaked around the time of the draft lottery.