Answering the Call of Duty: Examining the Effect of War Legacies on Military Manpower Systems

Military manpower system efficiency is achieved when high governmental demand aligns with active societal responses to the state’s call of duty. While existing literature has primarily focused on the demand side, this study shifts attention to the supply side—specifically, the public’s willingness to enlist. We argue that war legacies, whether stemming from victories or defeats, shape societal responses to military service. Furthermore, we posit that the wartime effect of defeat legacies is less pronounced than that of victory legacies due to negative perceptions associated with past defeats. To test these hypotheses, we conduct a panel analysis using a fixed-effects model. The results strongly support our arguments, underscoring the significance of the supply side and the role of societal culture shaped by war legacies.