Conscientious objector

A conscientious objector is an individual whose personal beliefs are incompatible with military service, perhaps with any role in the armed forces or just with a particular war. This constitutes a conflict in the case of conscription.

Alternatives for objectors

Some conscientious objectors are unwilling to serve the military in any capacity, while others are willing to serve in non-combatant roles. In World War I, many conscientious objectors in the US drove ambulances, often under fire. In World War II, some conscientious objectors in the US volunteered for hazardous scientific experiments. After the War, conscientious objectors in the Soviet Union or the German Democratic Republic were typically assigned to construction units, in the absence of a fully civilian alternative to military service.

Related Topics:
World War I - Ambulance - World War II - Soviet Union - German Democratic Republic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today, in several countries objectors can serve as field paramedics in the army (which is, by some opinions, no real alternative as it helps to make war more humane instead of preventing it), or they can serve without arms, but this has its problems too. In European countries like Germany or Switzerland, there is a possibility to join Civilian Service, to which admission is given after review of a written application or after a hearing about the state of conscience (see below). In Switzerland, the Civilian Service is 1.5 times as long as the military service; German civilan service has, since 1983, to be longer than military duty by statute. The military doctrine on civilian service is upheld, however: in case of war, civilian draftees are to replace those on active military duty in their civilian professions.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The last theoretical alternatives to avoid military or civilian service altogether would be to be punished for draft dodging and serve a prison time; or to falsely claim unfitness for duty by faking an allergy or a heart condition; or to delay conscription until the maximum drafting age; or to flee to a country which does not turn draft dodgers in. In the US, this has been the case during the Vietnam War as many young people fled to Canada.

Related Topics:
Vietnam War - Canada

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~