Lana Oconnell
On May 4, 1970, unarmed college students at Kent State University in Ohio were shot by the Ohio National Guard. The incident, which became known as the Kent State shootings, resulted in the killing of four students and the wounding of nine others. The students were protesting the US invasion of Cambodia and the presence of the National Guard on campus. The National Guard troops fired 61 to 67 shots during 13 seconds, with those shot being 20 to 245 yards away. This tragic event marked a seminal moment in the anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States and sparked widespread outrage and grief.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | May 4, 1970 |
| Location | Kent State University, Kent, Ohio |
| Number of Students | 4,000 |
| Number of Armed Guardsmen | 113 |
| Number of Students Killed | 4 |
| Names of Students Killed | Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, William Knox Schroeder |
| Number of Students Wounded | 9 |
| Names of Students Wounded | Alan Canfora, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Dean Kahler, Joseph Lewis, D. Scott MacKenzie, James Russell, Robert Stamps, Douglas Wrentmore |
| Weapons Used by Guardsmen | M-1 rifles, M-79 weapons, gas canisters |
| Reason for Protest | Opposition to the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the presence of the Ohio National Guard on campus |
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What You'll Learn
The students were protesting the US invasion of Cambodia
On May 4, 1970, a student protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned violent, resulting in a tragic event that shocked the nation. The National Guard was called in to confront the protestors, and in the ensuing chaos, they opened fire on the students, killing four and wounding nine. This incident became a pivotal moment in the history of student protests and sparked a nationwide debate about the role of the government and the rights of citizens to dissent. So, what led to this tragic outcome, and were the students armed?
In the lead-up to the protest, the United States had been experiencing a period of widespread opposition to the Vietnam War. The protest at Kent State University was triggered by the recent announcement by President Richard Nixon on April 30, 1970, of the invasion of neutral Cambodia. This expansion of the war effort was deeply unpopular, especially among the youth, who felt that the war was unjust and immoral. Students across the country organized protests to voice their opposition to the war and specifically to this new development.
At Kent State, the protest began on Friday, May 1, with a large gathering of students on the campus commons. The initial protest was peaceful, with students carrying signs, chanting anti-war slogans, and listening to speakers. However, tensions escalated over the next few days as the National Guard was called in to maintain order. On Monday, May 4, a group of students gathered to protest the presence of the National Guard and the ongoing invasion of Cambodia. It is important to note that there are varying accounts and interpretations of what happened next, but most agree that the situation escalated quickly.
Contrary to some claims and misconceptions, the students were not armed with guns or lethal weapons. However, some students did throw rocks and other objects at the National Guard troops, which could be considered a form of "arming" themselves in the context of the protest. It is important to understand the context and the atmosphere of the time, as the students were likely frustrated, angry, and passionate about their opposition to the war. The throwing of objects does not justify the use of lethal force, but it is part of the overall understanding of the events that unfolded.
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The Ohio National Guard was called to campus to quell demonstrations
On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard was called to Kent State University to quell demonstrations by students protesting against the US invasion of Cambodia and the presence of the National Guard on campus. The students had been met with violence on campus before, with the Ohio State Highway Patrol arresting 58 people during a protest in April 1970.
The National Guard troops fired 61 to 67 shots in 13 seconds, killing four unarmed students: Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. Nine others were wounded, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis. The students were not fleeing when the Guard opened fire, despite claims to the contrary.
The events of May 4 were preceded by a history of student activism at Kent State University. From 1965 to 1970, more than 10 organizations at the university were involved in anti-war and civil rights activism. In 1968, the Black United Students (BUS) organization joined the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapter in staging a five-hour sit-in protest. The Kent State SDS chapter, established in 1968, was particularly militant and sought to drive corporate recruiters from campus, abolish the school's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and end military-related university research.
The spring of 1970 saw the first general student strike in US history, with students from over 400 colleges and universities going on strike to protest the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. The Kent State shootings, also known as the May 4 Massacre, were a seminal event of the anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States. The tragedy led to the establishment of the President's Commission on Campus Unrest, known as the Scranton Commission, which studied the dissent, disorder, and violence on college and university campuses across the nation.
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Guardsmen fired 61-67 shots, killing four and wounding nine
On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the US invasion of Cambodia at Kent State University. The Guardsmen fired between 61 and 67 shots in 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine.
The students killed were Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. Krause, Miller, and Scheuer died on the scene, while Schroeder was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly afterward. The wounded students were Alan Canfora, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Dean Kahler, Joseph Lewis, D. Scott MacKenzie, James Russell, Robert Stamps, and Douglas Wrentmore.
The Guard's closest target, Jeffrey Miller, was approximately 270 feet away. He was shot in the mouth. The farthest casualty, Douglas Wrentmore, was wounded from a distance of 330 feet. He was shot in the right knee. Dean Kahler, who was 300 feet from the Guard, suffered the most severe injuries, being paralysed from the waist down.
The shootings, also known as the Kent State massacre, were a watershed moment for a nation divided by the conflict in Vietnam and further galvanised the anti-war movement. The Report of the President's Commission on Campus Unrest concluded that the shootings were "unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable".
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Students were unarmed and shot in the back
On May 4, 1970, unarmed Kent State University students were shot by the Ohio National Guard. Four students were killed: Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. Nine others were wounded. The students were protesting the US invasion of Cambodia and the presence of the National Guard on campus.
The National Guard troops fired 61 to 67 shots over 13 seconds. Those shot were 20 to 245 yards away from the Guard. While there was some provocation from the students, the students were not fleeing when the Guard initially opened fire. A photograph from the scene showed an unarmed young woman, anguished, bending over the body of one of the dead students.
The students had been protesting the expansion of the Cambodian campaign, which President Richard Nixon had announced. The day after Nixon's announcement, two rallies were held at Kent State University, with a crowd of around 500. The students symbolically buried a copy of the US Constitution, which they said had been murdered by Nixon. They called for another antiwar rally to be held on May 4.
The day before the shooting, around 4,000 students were scattered around the Commons, with around 800 gathered around the Victory Bell, which rang throughout the day. The crowd was told numerous times to disperse immediately and leave the area. The Guard fired tear gas at the crowd, and the protesters ran off to a grassy field next to the library. A group of students attempted to block the Guard's path, resulting in pushing and shoving. The protest escalated into a riot, with participants throwing rocks, beer bottles, and other objects, inflicting minor injuries on several Guardsmen.
The Report of the President's Commission on Campus Unrest concluded that the shootings were "unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable." The killings of protesting students at Kent State and Jackson State led President Nixon to establish the President's Commission on Campus Unrest, known as the Scranton Commission, to study the dissent, disorder, and violence on college campuses.
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The shootings were deemed unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable
On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a group of unarmed Kent State University students, killing four and wounding nine. The students were protesting the US invasion of Cambodia and the presence of the National Guard on campus.
The National Guard troops fired 61 to 67 shots over 13 seconds, with those shot being 20 to 245 yards away. The students killed were Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. Nine others were wounded, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis.
The Report of the President's Commission on Campus Unrest concluded that the shootings were "unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable." This is supported by the fact that the students were unarmed. Additionally, the students were exercising their right to protest and freedom of speech. The university faculty also believed that better ways to handle the situation could have been found, and they deeply regretted the tragic outcome.
The Kent State shootings were a seminal event of the anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States. The university had a history of activism, with over 10 organizations involved in anti-war and civil rights activism from 1965 to 1970. The shootings also marked the first general student strike in US history, with students from over 400 colleges and universities participating. The event highlighted the need for alternative forms of protest and conflict resolution to prevent similar tragedies.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the students were unarmed.
Yes, four students were killed: Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. Nine students were wounded: Alan Canfora, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Dean Kahler, Joseph Lewis, D. Scott MacKenzie, James Russell, Robert Stamps, and Douglas Wrentmore.
The students were protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the presence of the Ohio National Guard on campus.
