<Tr> <Td> 1945 </Td> <Td> 65,290 </Td> <Td> 11,430 </Td> <Td> 1,040 </Td> <Td> 1.9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1946 </Td> <Td> 60,970 </Td> <Td> 3,450 </Td> <Td> 2,270 </Td> <Td> 3.9 </Td> </Tr> <P> One contentious issue involved the drafting of fathers, which was avoided as much as possible . The drafting of 18 - year - olds was desired by the military but vetoed by public opinion . Racial minorities were drafted at the same rate as Whites, and were paid the same, but blacks were kept in all - black units . The experience of World War I regarding men needed by industry was particularly unsatisfactory--too many skilled mechanics and engineers became privates (there is a possibly apocryphal story of a banker assigned as a baker due to a clerical error, noted by historian Lee Kennett in his book "G.I.") Farmers demanded and were generally given occupational deferments (many volunteered anyway, but those who stayed at home lost postwar veteran's benefits .) </P> <P> Later in the war, in light of the tremendous amount of manpower that would be necessary for the invasion of France in 1944, many earlier deferment categories became draft eligible . </P>

The u.s. home front during world war ii