Kent State University: Student Rallies And Their Impact

On May 4, 1970, four Kent State University students were shot and killed, and nine were injured, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators protesting the Vietnam War. The incident, which came to symbolise the deep political and cultural divisions in the US at the time, sparked the biggest student strike in US history, with hundreds of campuses across the country forced to close.

The protests at Kent State were part of a new wave of demonstrations against the war, following President Nixon's announcement in April 1970 that US troops would invade Cambodia. On May 1, hundreds of students gathered on the Commons, a park-like space at the centre of the Kent State campus, to speak out against the war and Nixon's decision.

The following evening, there were violent clashes between students and local police in downtown Kent. Police cars were hit with bottles, and students stopped traffic and lit bonfires in the streets. The entire Kent police force was called to duty, and officers from the county and surrounding communities were drafted in. Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom declared a state of emergency, called Governor James Rhodes' office to seek assistance, and ordered all the bars in the town closed.

The next day, Satrom asked Rhodes to send the Ohio National Guard to Kent. Members of the National Guard arrived on the night of May 2 to find protesters had set fire to the school's ROTC building. Clashes between the Guard and protesters continued into the night, and dozens of arrests were made.

On May 4, another protest was held on campus, despite a ban on demonstrations. An estimated 3,000 people had gathered by midday, when the guardsmen ordered the protesters to disperse. The dispersal order was ignored, and witnesses say rocks were thrown. After tear gas was fired, troops fired live rounds into the crowd. Four students were killed, and nine were wounded.

The Kent State University rally was a protest against the Vietnam War

The rally was sparked by President Nixon's decision to invade Cambodia, widening the scope of US involvement in the Vietnam War. On April 30, 1970, Nixon authorised US troops to enter Cambodia to target Viet Cong safe havens and supply routes. The decision was made without the knowledge of the Secretary of State or the Defence Secretary, and it provoked protests across US college campuses.

At Kent State, demonstrations began on May 1, the day after Nixon's announcement. Hundreds of students gathered on the Commons, a central area of the campus used for rallies and events. There, they gave fiery speeches against the war and Nixon's administration, and buried a copy of the Constitution to symbolise the murder of the Constitution, as Congress had never declared war. Another rally was called for noon on May 4.

The following evening, there were violent clashes between students and local police in downtown Kent. Police cars were hit with bottles, and students stopped traffic and lit bonfires in the streets. The entire Kent police force was called to duty, and Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom declared a state of emergency and called on Ohio Governor James Rhodes to send the National Guard to Kent. The bars were closed early, which only served to anger the protesters and increase the size of the crowd. Eventually, police used tear gas to disperse the protesters, forcing them back towards the campus.

On May 2, the National Guard arrived on campus, where protesters had set fire to the ROTC building. The Guard clashed with protesters, making dozens of arrests. The next day, May 3, was calmer, with students lounging on the Commons and even engaging amicably with the Guardsmen. However, tensions remained high, with nearly 1,000 Guards occupying the campus.

On May 4, the day of the scheduled protest, university officials attempted to prohibit the event, but crowds began to gather from around 11 am. By noon, there were approximately 3,000 protesters and spectators on the Commons. Around 100 Guardsmen were stationed at the destroyed ROTC building, carrying M-1 rifles. The protest was initially peaceful, but General Robert Canterbury ordered the protesters to disperse. The protesters refused and began throwing rocks at the Guardsmen. The Guardsmen fired tear gas and marched across the Commons, forcing the protesters up and over a nearby hill.

The Guardsmen became trapped in a fenced-in football practice field, surrounded by angry protesters. They retreated back up the hill, and when they reached the top, 28 of them turned and fired their rifles, some into the air and some directly into the crowd. In just 13 seconds, nearly 70 shots were fired. Four students—Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, William Schroeder, and Sandra Scheuer—were killed, and nine others were injured.

The university was immediately closed, remaining shut for six weeks following the shooting. The incident provoked a student-led strike, forcing the temporary closure of colleges and universities across the country. Investigatory commissions and court trials followed, with members of the National Guard testifying that they fired because they feared for their lives. However, there remains disagreement over whether this fear was justified.

The Kent State shooting remains a powerful symbol of the division in public opinion about the Vietnam War and the disillusionment felt by protesters over the effectiveness of demonstrations. It also highlighted the potential for confrontation between protesters and law enforcement.

The Ohio National Guard was called to Kent State University

On the evening of Friday, May 1, violent clashes broke out in downtown Kent between students and police. The police cars were hit with bottles, and students stopped traffic and lit bonfires in the streets. The entire Kent police force was called to duty, along with officers from the county and surrounding communities. Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom declared a state of emergency, called the office of Ohio Governor Jim Rhodes to seek assistance, and ordered all the bars to be closed. The decision to close the bars early only increased the size of the angry crowd. Police eventually used tear gas to disperse the crowd and force them back to the campus.

The next day, Saturday, May 2, Mayor Satrom met with other city officials and a representative of the Ohio National Guard. Fearing further disturbances and concerned by threats made to downtown businesses and city officials, as well as rumors of radical revolutionaries in Kent, Satrom decided to request assistance from the Ohio National Guard. The Guard was already on duty in Northeast Ohio and was able to mobilize quickly.

The Guard arrived on the Kent State campus at around 10 pm on May 2, encountering a chaotic scene. The ROTC building was ablaze, with over 1,000 demonstrators surrounding it. There were confrontations between the Guardsmen and demonstrators, with tear gas being fired and numerous arrests made.

On Sunday, May 3, the campus was occupied by nearly 1,000 National Guardsmen, resembling a war zone. The day was marked by a provocative statement from Governor Rhodes, who called the student protesters the "worst type of people in America" and stated that every force of law would be used to deal with them. Rhodes also indicated that he would seek a court order declaring a state of emergency, giving the impression that martial law had been declared.

On Monday, May 4, a large protest was scheduled for noon on the Commons, despite attempts by university officials to prohibit the gathering. An estimated 3,000 people, including protesters, spectators, and supporters, were present. About 100 Ohio National Guardsmen were stationed at the burned-out ROTC building, carrying lethal M-1 rifles.

General Robert Canterbury, the highest official of the Guard, ordered the demonstrators to disperse. The announcement was made by a Kent State police officer using a bullhorn, but it had little effect. The officer then approached the crowd in a jeep, accompanied by several Guardsmen, but this was met with angry shouting and rocks. Canterbury ordered his men to lock and load their weapons and fire tear gas into the crowd. The Guardsmen then marched across the Commons, forcing the protesters up and over Blanket Hill to a football practice field.

The Guardsmen found themselves trapped on the practice field, which was enclosed by a fence, and became the target of shouting and rock-throwing. They soon retreated back up Blanket Hill. When they reached the top of the hill, 28 of them turned and fired their rifles, some into the air and some directly into the crowd. In a 13-second period, 61-67 shots were fired, resulting in four deaths and nine injuries.

The university was immediately closed following the shooting, and it remained shut down for six weeks. The events triggered a nationwide student strike, forcing hundreds of colleges and universities to close. The Kent State shooting became a watershed moment, symbolizing the deep political and social divisions during the Vietnam War era.

The National Guard opened fire on the crowd

The shootings occurred during a rally against the expanding involvement of US military forces in Cambodia and the National Guard presence on campus. Around 200-300 protesters had gathered around the Victory Bell on the Commons, a grassy area in the middle of the Kent State University campus, with about 1,000 more people observing from a nearby hill.

General Robert Canterbury, the highest-ranking official of the Guard, ordered the demonstrators to disperse. A Kent State police officer made the announcement using a bullhorn, but this was met with angry shouting and rocks being thrown. The officer was then placed in a jeep with several Guardsmen and drove across the Commons to repeat the order, but this was also ignored.

Canterbury then ordered his men to load and lock their weapons and fire tear gas into the crowd. The Guardsmen advanced, forcing the protesters to move up and down a nearby hill, Blanket Hill, and towards a football practice field. The Guardsmen followed the protesters over the hill but found themselves trapped in the fenced-in practice field. Here, they remained for about ten minutes, facing a growing, angry crowd.

During this time, some protesters threw rocks at the Guardsmen, with estimates of the number of rock throwers ranging from 10 to 50. The Guardsmen fired more tear gas, and at one point, some members of the Guard knelt and aimed their weapons at the crowd.

The Guardsmen then began to retreat back up Blanket Hill. As they reached the top of the hill, 28 of them turned and fired their rifles and pistols. In total, 61 to 67 shots were fired in a 13-second period. Four students were killed: Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, William Schroeder, and Sandra Scheuer. Nine others were wounded: Joseph Lewis, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Alan Canfora, Dean Kahler, Douglas Wrentmore, James Russell, Robert Stamps, and Donald Mackenzie.

The shootings triggered immediate outrage and a nationwide student strike, with more than 4 million students participating in organised walk-outs at universities, colleges, and high schools across the country. The incident also affected public opinion about the Vietnam War and the role of the US in the conflict.

Numerous investigatory commissions and court trials followed the shootings, with members of the National Guard testifying that they fired because they feared for their lives. However, there is still disagreement about whether they were truly in sufficient danger to use lethal force.

Four students were killed and nine were injured

On May 4, 1970, four students were killed and nine were injured when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of Kent State University demonstrators. The impact of the shootings was dramatic and triggered a nationwide student strike that forced hundreds of colleges and universities to close.

The four students who were killed were Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. Krause and Miller were among the more than 300 students who had gathered to protest the expansion of the Cambodian campaign, while Scheuer and Schroeder were observing the proceedings from more than 300 feet away. Krause, Miller, and Scheuer died on the scene, while Schroeder was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly afterward.

Nine other students were wounded in the shooting: Joseph Lewis Jr., John R. Cleary, Thomas Mark Grace, Alan Michael Canfora, Dean R. Kahler, Douglas Alan Wrentmore, James Dennis Russell, Robert Follis Stamps, and Donald Scott MacKenzie.

The shootings sparked immediate and massive outrage on campuses across the country and affected public opinion about the United States' role in the Vietnam War. It also led to a student-led strike that forced the temporary closure of colleges and universities nationwide. The events of that day are considered to have played a role in the downfall of President Richard Nixon.

In the aftermath of the shooting, there were numerous investigatory commissions and court trials. Members of the Ohio National Guard testified that they fired because they feared for their lives, but there is still disagreement over whether they were justified in using force. A civil suit filed by the injured students and their families was settled in 1979, with the Ohio National Guard agreeing to pay a total of $675,000 to those injured in the incident.

The Kent State shooting was a watershed moment for a divided nation

On May 4, 1970, four students were killed and nine were injured when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators at Kent State University, Ohio. The demonstrators were protesting the Vietnam War and the presence of the National Guard on campus. The tragedy was a pivotal moment for a nation divided by the conflict in Southeast Asia and symbolised the deep political and cultural divides across the US at the time.

The Kent State shooting was the culmination of several days of protest at the university. On May 1, hundreds of students had gathered on the Commons, a park-like space at the centre of campus, to speak out against the war and President Nixon. That night, there were violent clashes between students and local police in downtown Kent. The following day, the city's mayor asked Ohio's governor to send the National Guard to Kent. On May 3, a fairly calm day on campus, students lounged on the Commons and engaged with the Guardsmen on duty. However, with nearly 1,000 National Guards at the school, the scene was more like that of a war zone than a college campus.

On May 4, a major protest was scheduled for noon on the Commons. University officials attempted to prohibit the event, but crowds began to gather from about 11 am. By the scheduled start time, an estimated 3,000 protesters and spectators were present. General Robert Canterbury, the highest-ranking official of the Guard, ordered the demonstrators to disperse. The protesters refused and began shouting and throwing rocks at the Guardsmen. Canterbury ordered his men to load and lock their weapons and fire tear gas into the crowd. The Guardsmen then marched across the Commons, forcing protesters up and over a nearby hill and towards a football practice field. The Guardsmen became trapped on the practice field, which was surrounded by a fence, and were targeted by shouting and thrown rocks.

The Guardsmen soon retreated back up the hill. When they reached the top, 28 of them suddenly turned and fired their rifles, some into the air and some directly into the crowd. Over just a 13-second period, nearly 70 shots were fired in total. Four Kent State students—Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, William Schroeder and Sandra Scheuer—were killed, and nine others were injured.

The shooting had a profound impact on public opinion and the course of the Vietnam War. In the immediate aftermath, a student-led strike forced the temporary closure of colleges and universities across the country. Some observers believe the events of that day tilted public opinion against the war and may have contributed to the downfall of President Nixon. The shooting also permanently changed the protest movement across the American political spectrum, fostering a sense of disillusionment regarding the effectiveness of demonstrations and fears over the potential for confrontation between protesters and law enforcement.

The Kent State shooting remains a symbolic moment in modern US history and a reminder of the deep divisions that existed at the time. The iconic photograph of 14-year-old Mary Vecchio crying over Miller’s fallen body, taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer John Filo, has come to symbolise the political and cultural divide in the US at the time. The event also highlighted the class schism between working-class baby boomers who were drafted to fight in Vietnam and the privileged ones who could afford to avoid it by going to college.

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