In 1977, President Jimmy Carter issued a broad pardon inviting thousands of Americans who had fled to Canada during the Vietnam War to return home and participate in the nation’s healing process. Many who left had sought to avoid the draft, rejecting involvement in a conflict that claimed approximately 60,000 American lives.
Canada served as a sanctuary, standing opposed to the war and welcoming these individuals with minimal scrutiny as they crossed the border.
Despite the amnesty, numerous war resisters—often labeled draft dodgers by critics—opted not to return. Their choices came at significant personal cost, including fractured family relationships, lost friendships, and social stigma. While some viewed their stance as a matter of principle, others perceived it as an act of cowardice.
Now, as the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War’s conclusion approaches, reflections on this turbulent chapter arise amid renewed political tensions.
For Americans living in Canada today, recent economic disputes and sovereignty concerns have rekindled complex feelings about their homeland.
Traveling across Canada, conversations with about a dozen individuals—mostly in their seventies and eighties—who once left the United States reveal insightful perspectives on their decisions and their views on both countries.
