Selective Training and Service Act of 1940

E57330

The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 was a U.S. federal law that established the first peacetime military draft in American history, creating the framework for conscription during World War II.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal law
conscription law
affected mobilization of U.S. forces for World War II
ageRange 21 to 35 years at enactment
alsoKnownAs Burke–Wadsworth Act
appliedDuring peacetime
appliedTo male citizens of the United States
male resident aliens in the United States
appliedToBranch United States Army Air Corps
surface form: "Army Air Corps"

United States Army
authorizedAgency Selective Service System
classificationSystem system of draft classifications for registrants
containedProvision prohibition on deployment of draftees outside the Western Hemisphere without their consent (later modified)
country United States of America
surface form: "United States"
created first peacetime draft in United States history
enactedBy 76th United States Congress
established appeal boards for draft classifications
local draft boards
exempted conscientious objectors from combatant training and service
followedBy Military Selective Service Act
surface form: "Selective Service Act of 1948"
governs obligations of eligible males for military training and service
historicalSignificance first peacetime conscription law in United States history
implementedBy United States Department of War
surface form: "War Department"
influenced later U.S. conscription policies and legislation
inForceDuring World War II
jurisdiction United States government
surface form: "federal government of the United States"
language English
laterAmendedAgeRange 18 to 45 years
laterServiceObligationLength 18 months
24 months
legalStatus superseded
legislativeContext enacted during period of rising global tensions before U.S. entry into World War II
namedAfter Edward R. Burke
James W. Wadsworth Jr.
opposedBy some isolationist members of Congress
politicalSupportFrom Roosevelt administration
surface form: "Franklin D. Roosevelt administration"
precededBy Military Selective Service Act
surface form: "World War I era Selective Service Act of 1917"
primaryPurpose to provide for the common defense by increasing the personnel of the armed forces of the United States
providedFor alternative service for conscientious objectors
publicLawNumber Public Law 76-783
regulated conscription in the United States during World War II
relatedTo United States Army expansion prior to World War II
required registration of eligible men with local draft boards
serviceObligationLength 12 months of training and service at enactment
signedBy President Franklin D. Roosevelt
surface form: "Franklin D. Roosevelt"
signingDate 1940-09-16
statutesAtLargeCitation 54 Stat. 885
tookEffectOn 1940-09-16
topic military conscription in the United States

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

United States Armed Forces in World War II conscription Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
76th United States Congress enacted Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
Selective Service System formedBy Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
SSS historicalPredecessor Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
subject surface form: "Selective Service System"
this entity surface form: "World War II Selective Service system"
United States home front during World War II keyProgram Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
Military Selective Service Act originalTitle Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
77th United States Congress passedLegislation Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
this entity surface form: "Selective Training and Service Act amendments"

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