The Vietnam War marked an era of heartbreak and
tragedies. On of the most significant of these is the crisis at Kent State
University in Ohio. This was a direct result to President Richard Nixon’s
decision to send troops into Cambodia without interacting with congress.
Protests were held before the crisis at hand and rallies followed. The Mayor of
the city of Kent, Leroy Stratom, called in the National Guard, who, on May 4th,
killed four students. The question that remains unanswered is why the National Guard
fired on a crowd of young people and who was really responsible.
Friday, May 1st, 1970 marked a significant day at Kent State University in
Ohio. President Nixon’s announcement that troops would be sent into Cambodia
trigger a slew of protests on campus at Kent State. As of noon, over five
hundred students rallied and watched as a graduate student buried a copy of the
constitution. This symbolized the murder of the constitution by president Nixon
because congress had not declared war. The same evening, the Kent State
University President, deciding that the situation is under control, leaves Ohio
on a planned trip to Iowa. However, the situation gets slightly out of control.
As dusk falls, a crowd a students and citizens gathers near the Kent bar area and
block off the street, vandalize and ignite bonfires. Although there had been no
previous effort made by the Kent Police Department to control the situation,
Kent City Mayor Stratom calls a state of emergency, closes down the bars, and
finally sends in police personnel. The closing of the bars enrages the people
inside them, which lead to an even larger group of people to control and
disperse. Because the Kent Police forces were so reluctant to control the
crowd, it becomes very difficult to disperse the crowd. Rioters finally decided
to call it a night when someone accidentally ended up hanging from a traffic
light.
On the evening of May 2nd, after various rumours and threats abound, Mayor
Stratom orders city and campus curfews. Mayor Stratom then decides, without
informing Kent State Officials, to call in the National Guard of Ohio. In
protest, a group of 600 students gather with the intention of setting the ROTC
building on fire. When the Kent City Fire Department is informed of the fire
they rush to rescue only to have themselves stoned and their hoses slashed.
Since the Kent State Campus Police offer no aid, they are forced to retreat. An
hour later, the National Guard arrives and successfully controls the situation.
The students’ resentment towards the National Guard, due to this incident
started almost immediately. The tension between these two groups would worsen
farther into the weekend. However, the guard would not have had a situation as
severe to deal with had the Kent State Campus Police been more helpful in
controlling the situation that arose with the Fire Department.
Senator James Rhodes arrived into Kent state to attend a news conference and
deliver a speech. This speech, however, is misinterpreted by university
officials and guard officials, and instructions are then issued to forbid
rallies or gatherings of any sort. Although an attempt is made to inform the
students of the new regulation and curfew, many students do not receive the
leaflet that had been produced until after the shootings on May 4th. When
students we seen to not be obeying the curfew, the Guard decided to take action
and proceeded by firing tear gas at crowds on the Commons (flat land area for
student leisure). However, fifteen minutes later, the crowd peacefully reunited
and walked to the gates of the University to show that a curfew was not
necessary. The crowd requested to speak with the Mayor and the University
President on the subject of the Guard’s presence on campus. Forty-five minutes
after informing the students that Mayor Stratom and President White would speak
with them, the National Guard announces that the curfew would go into effect
immediately and proceeded to descend upon the crowd with tear gas, successfully
dispersing the once peaceful crowd. This made the students loathe the presence
of the National Guard to an excessive extent.
The morning of May 4th began with a meeting of local and state officials. The
officials present conclude that the rally scheduled protesting the presence of
the National Guard is illegal and should therefore not be allowed to take
place. However, the National Guard was not informed that the students had a
class break at noon. Therefore, when about two hundred students we seen
gathering on the Common ground to go eat their lunches or wait for their next
classes, the guard started getting suspicious. When the other students started
heading towards the Common ground for their break, the National Guard believed
that the students were gathering for the illegal rally. The Guard announces, on
a bullhorn, instructions for the crowd to disband immediately, however, those
who hear the announcement become enraged, and the crowd starts to stir. When
the members of the crowd start to curse and throw rocks, other students who
want the National Guard off campus follow their example by ringing the victory
bell (normally used for sporting events). The National Guard responded by
throwing tear gas into the crowds, but this time, the crowds fought back using
gas masks and gloves from the science department and throwing the gas bombs
back at the Guard. The Guards, now feeling seriously threatened by tear gas and
rocks, herd the students onto the football field firing into the air and
staying in that same position for approximately ten minutes, thinking that their
supply of tear gas was already wasted and not know what to do. Most of the
students are next to Taylor Hall to the left of the Guard, and still throwing
objects and yelling obscenities. Many of the students had already started
heading for the parking lot thinking that the action was over when the Guard
rotated their position One hundred and eighty degrees taking a few steps back
and then firing into the crowd. It is assumed that it was either for the Guards
own protection for the unarmed kids or because one shot triggered all 60
others. Because of the intense situation where guards were ready to fire on the
crowd if deemed necessary, students were willing to risk their own lives to
avenge the other deaths and injuries. Kent State Professors then plead with the
Guard to let them address the students to prevent any further bloodshed.
President Nixon seemed some what affected by the events of May 4th but did not
waver in his decision to send troops to Cambodia. Senator James Rhodes once
again appeared on the scene to give a speech explaining the course of events
from the Guards point of view and guarantee that history would not repeat
itself.
Irresponsible actions made by uninformed parties were largely to blame. Lack of
responsibility on the part of the Campus guard can be partially found at fault.
The campus guard were reluctant to aid the police or the fire department to
bring the riots under control. If they had extended a helping hand earlier, the
National Guard might never have been called in. However, the National Guard
should have assessed the situation in a more diplomatic fashion. They should
have been trained to prevent unarmed crowds from getting rowdy, not bait their
rowdiness.
Bibliography
Websites:
Department of Special Collections & Archives. “May 4th Exhibit: Kent State
University”
http://www.library.kent.edu/exhibits/4may95/index.html
Lewis, Jerry and Hensley, Thomas. “The May 4th Shootings at Kent State
University: The Search for Historical Accuracy”
http://www.kent.edu/sociology/lewis/LEWIHEN.htm
F.B.I. Reports. “U.S. Justice Department’s Summary of FBI Reports: May 4, 1970”
http://alancanfora.com/fbi.htm
Payne, J. Gregory Ph D. “MAYDAY: Kent State”
http://www.emerson.edu/acadepts/cs/comm/append.html
Books:
Eszterhas, Joe and Michael D. Roberts. Thirteen Seconds: Confrontation at Kent.
New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1970.
Articles:
\"Four Random, Pointless Deaths.\"
Newsweek. (May 18, 1970) 34.