ARTS&LIFE
BOOK REVIEW

L

ike most young men in the United 
States in 1971, I spent a lot of time 
thinking about “the Draft.
” Although 
it was beginning to wind down, the war in 
Vietnam was still raging, still consuming 
the lives of Americans in 
the armed forces. I and my 
cohorts still faced the draft 
but, by this time, it was obvi-
ous to most that this conflict 
was a losing proposition, 
unwinnable and unwanted.
There appeared to be three 
general choices for men fac-
ing the draft: wait and take 
your chances, whether we wanted to do so 
or not. Perhaps we would get a high lot-
tery number or should we choose another 
option: preemptively enlist in the Navy, Air 

Force or Coast Guard, if possible, before 
being drafted, and then maybe serve under 
safer circumstances. Or should we hightail 
it to Canada or another foreign land? 
It is not too much to say that nearly every 
young American man, as they neared high 
school graduation in the 1960s and early 
1970s, were considering their options.
There is extensive literature on the mili-
tary conduct of the Vietnam War (although 
Congress never officially declared it a 
“war”), books about the domestic politics 
underlying the war, and the evolution of the 
war protest movement, along with the Civil 
Rights and Women’s Rights movements 
and the general cultural revolution of the 
1960s. However, only a few books provide 
firsthand narratives of those who resisted 
the draft. 

AUTHOR’S LOCAL ROOTS
Eli Greenbaum’s new book, Hell, No, We 
Didn’t Go investigates the perspectives of 
resisters and is an important addition to the 
historiography of the Vietnam War. This is 
a well-crafted, thoughtful work, built upon 
a foundation of firsthand narratives of draft 
resistance during the Vietnam War.
Greenbaum is a Jewish Detroiter who 
moved to the city in 1951 with his parents, 
immigrants from Israel. He was raised in 
Detroit, where his parents owned a small 
business, Supreme Home Furnishing, at 
McNichols Road and Schaefer Highway. 
After graduation from Mumford 
High, Greenbaum earned bachelor’s and 
juris doctor degrees from Wayne State 
University. He made a career as an attorney, 
a creative director at advertising, and as 

Local author provides accounts of 
Vietnam War protest and resistance.

Hell, No, 
We Didn’t Go! 
Firsthand

Mike Smith: I greatly appreciated 
your introduction to Hell, No, We 
Didn’t Go, which does a fine job of 
laying out your approach to your 
research, the interviewing process 
and general approach to a sensitive 
historical subject. You mention 
swapping “draft” stories with 
friends and your wife’s subsequent 
encouragement to write about the 
experience. What finally compelled 
you to write this book?

Eli Greenbaum: The drive 
home from Pittsburgh and the 

conversation with my wife was the 
epiphany. I realized that there are 
lots of untold stories out there, 
stories that would “shine a light” 
regarding what young men were 
thinking and doing while waiting to 
see if they would be drafted or not. I 
realized these stories needed to be 
told, and I wanted to write about this 
because people, especially young 
people today, need to know.

MS: You were raised in a Jewish 
family in Detroit. How did this impact 
your attitude toward the draft and 
the war in Vietnam? Did it make any 
difference for you or your Jewish 
friends?

EG: I don’t know if it made a 
difference to others; I can only 
speak to my perspective and 
upbringing. My family valued 
education, knowledge and critical 
thinking — no blind obedience, 
and as my father often said when 
watching discussions on TV about 
a particular news issue: “I wonder 
what is going on behind the 
scenes?” This made me realize that 
whatever is reported by the media 
is just the surface; there is always 
more to the story. I learned “always 
ask questions.”
I was also raised with traditional 
Jewish values. One does the best 
for one’s family, you work hard, you 
approach the world ethically, you 

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

40 | JULY 4 • 2024 

One-on-One With 
Eli Greenbaum

Eli 
Greenbaum

