National service

National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes (usually military service, also known as conscription). The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes. Compulsory military service typically requires all citizens, or all male citizens, to participate for a period of a year (or more in some countries) during their youth, usually at some point between the age of 18 and their late twenties.

Wartime national service in Britain required the whole population to register with the government's Ministry of Labour, which could then direct people where to work. Most men aged 18 to 51 were "called up" for military service, except for those in "reserved occupations" (farming, medicine, skilled tradesmen in war industries, firemen and policemen, etc.) and unmarried women under 30 could be directed into war industries. Coal shortages 1944-45 meant that thousands of the last wartime conscripts were drafted into coal mines (the "Bevin Boys", thus named for the wartime Minister of Labour). British national service ended with victory in 1945 but was reimposed (for men only) in 1947 to enlarge the armed forces, first for an 18-month term, then for two years. Compulsory military call-up ended in 1960 and national registration was discontinued (except as required for social insurance.)

National service is the usual term for compulsory military service programmes in countries including Austria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Israel, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Finland, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and Turkey. Conscription in the United States was called Selective Service and continued until 1973. Most NATO countries discontinued obligatory military service in the 1970s. Israel was the only country to conscript young women as well as young men for military service in the late 20th century.

India has a separate programme called the National Service Scheme (NSS) in which students from primary level to graduate level participate. In some Indian colleges (like IITs), it is a compulsory part of curricula.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Alternative service
• Conscription in Australia
• Conscription in the United Kingdom
• Conscription in Singapore
• National service in the United States of America
• National Youth Service
• Sherut Leumi (National Service in Israel)

Conscription
Military service National service Conscription crisis Conscientious objection Civilian service
Conscription by country
v · Categories: Conscription Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат Õ Ramsey Clark Look at other dictionaries: national service — noun uncount a fixed period of time that young people in some countries must spend in the military: MILITARY SERVICE …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English national service — ► NOUN ▪ a period of compulsory service in the armed forces during peacetime …   English terms dictionary national service — n [U] the system of making all adults spend a period of time in the army, navy, or air force …   Dictionary of contemporary English national service — noun compulsory service in the military during peacetime • Topics: ↑military, ↑armed forces, ↑armed services, ↑military machine, ↑war machine • Hypernyms: ↑service * * * ˌnational ˈservice …   Useful english dictionary national service — Conscription (= compulsory service in the armed forces) was introduced in Britain in World War I and again in 1939. It continued long after the end of World War II under the name national service. During wartime, all men between the ages of 18… …   Universalium national service — N UNCOUNT National service is service in the armed forces, which young people in certain countries have to do by law. [mainly BRIT] Banks spent his national service in the Royal Navy. Syn: military service (in AM, use selective service) …   English dictionary national service — noun Compulsory service in the armed forces; conscription Id ha such Amazons sent into the National Service; I warrant her shed rout a Regiment of French Dragoons …   Wiktionary national service —    British    compulsory conscription into the armed forces    The usage concealed the military nature of the engagement while conscription remained in force after 1945 (prior to which people had simply been called up). Others out of uniform may… …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms National service in the United States of America — has a long tradition, extending to the founding of the country. National service takes multiple forms in the U.S.A., including community service, military service, and other forms. Contents 1 Military national service 1.1 The creation of the… …   Wikipedia National Service Act 1948 — National Service (1939 1960) memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum. The National Service Act 1948 was an Act of Parliament which extended the British conscription of World War II into peacetime, in the form of National Service. After a… …   Wikipedia 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”