ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses substantial issues by conducting a sustained transnational comparison of the tribunals' and boards' operations. It analyses their initial discretion to determine cases and the extent to which this was circumscribed by the respective governments and militaries. The chapter considers the appointments made to the various positions within the exemption systems. It looks at the proportion of men who were the subjects of appeals, and how frequently the various grounds were cited. The chapter focuses on the degree of autonomy that the appeal bodies were willing to exercise once sittings were underway. It describes how the appeal bodies treated the claims of conscientious objectors. The chapter analyses the overall verdicts delivered by the tribunals and boards to determine the relative likelihood of them granting exemption.
