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As for why some people were shot far away from the Guardsmen? Ever hear of gravity? Mythbusters did a segment in which they held a bullet a measured distance from the ground and fired a gun at that exact same height aimed perfectly level. Both bullets hit the ground at the same time. Experienced shooters know how to adjust their aim to account for distance and gravity. The Guardsmen were wearing gas mask (something that effects one's vision greatly). Some said they fired over the heads of the protestors. OK, that means some of their shots could have dropped down and hit the people far in the back of the crowd.
This is one of the most unbiased articles I've read on this subject. The protestors' actions in the three days prior is what led to the calling of the National Guard troops to Kent State. According to the article, there was an estimated total of 3,000 people on the grounds during the protest. The National Guard troops were vastly outnumbered and the protestors were getting agitated and confrontational with the Guardsmen. In the days prior to the shooting, the protestors had already rioted in the streets (including flipping vehicles, setting vehicles on fire, and making threats to attack businesses) as well as burning down the ROTC building. So no, these were not the peaceful protest history revisionist would like you to believe. In multiple trials, the National Guard troops testified that they felt their lives were in danger from the thousands of people they faced that day. Though the 3,000 or so were not all protestors, that is what the Guard faced that day. Ever see the movie Zulu? Just because a small force has superior weapons doesn't mean they can't be killed when faced with superior numbers. The police and Guard had already used non-lethal force before (tear gas and bean bags) and yet the protestors were still there. It's sad that so much revisionist version of events create the illusion that it was a peaceful protest until the National Guard troops open fired. It seems the protestors weren't the innocent victims history makes them out to be. Some would say the Guard should not have been there in the first place. OK, but they were called out because of the violent actions of the protestors and they had already burned down one school building. How far would they go without authority presence?
Sounds like Syria doesn't it Dave, because they were protesting it was OK to shoot them!
By the way almost 20% of my High School graduating class (boys only of course) were killed in Vietnam, 16 at one lick in an ambush. The war was so unpopular that people stayed in school, got married, left the country, my room mate joined the Morman Church, did what ever they could to avoid going. If you had political contacts like GW Bush you could join the national guard or leave the country like Clinton. If none of this worked you protested this very unpopular war and the draft.
Sounds like Syria doesn't it Dave, because they were protesting it was OK to shoot them!
By the way almost 20% of my High School graduating class (boys only of course) were killed in Vietnam, 16 at one lick in an ambush. The war was so unpopular that people stayed in school, got married, left the country, my room mate joined the Morman Church, did what ever they could to avoid going. If you had political contacts like GW Bush you could join the national guard or leave the country like Clinton. If none of this worked you protested this very unpopular war and the draft.
Didn't disagree with protesting the war. I disagreed with the several days of violent protest and destruction of private property.
Gee Greg, is it fair to say that in the context of the times, things were a bit different? We didn't even have 911 back then let alone civil unrest plans...did we.
Actually there were plans for civil unrest in the 60's.
It was called "the protesters are always wrong so let's just turn the fire hoses and/or dogs on them and if they still believe in their cause we can use tear gas on them and if that doesn't work we can bash in a few heads and if THAT doesn't work we'll give the National Guard live ammo".
There was an attitude of "Us vs. Them" then. The National Guardsmen became the "us" at Kent State. And not by their decision. By the decision of whomever it was that decided giving them real bullets was a good idea.
How did this happen? What was the justification (or lack thereof) for soldiers carrying loaded guns on a college campus, let alone firing those weapons? quote]
The same justification used today for allowing police to carry loaded guns on campus.
It was because of the vast number of protests that finally forced the end to this war.
The vast number of protests had a negligible effect on the end of the Vietnam War. Other than that I concur with most of what you said. I think SailorDave has reiterated the position of most of the "us" mentality from that time. Shortly after the Kent State shootings, various news media outlets interviewed people from around the country and quite a few claimed that they wished the National Guard "had killed them all."
I am old enough to remember that. It was a black eye on our nation. The rest of the decade would bring more disgrace, including Watergate. I remember how it inspired this song, popular with young people.
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