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