What happened at Kent State University?

List 6 reasons as to why people were opposed to the war

* **Media coverage** - reported by journalists in TV and newspapers. Shocking images and stories of civilian casualties, poor discipline, drug-taking, teenage soldiers dying all turned people against the war
* **US casualties** - men returned with crippling injuries - 12% soldiers ended up as casualties (injured or killed). Average age of dead was 23 and amputations were 300% higher than WWII
* **Opposition to the draft** - 1964-72 2 million americans were drafted - hatred of this - 300 dead a week - was it worth it?
* **Civil Rights Movement** - MLK spoke against the war - disproportionate number of Black soldiers - black soldiers sent to areas of the where the war was at its fiercest - why were black people fighting for a country which didn’t give them rights?
* **Lack of support for SV government** - SV government was corrupt and undemocratic - not very american
* **Opposition of US politicians** - criticism of financial cost of the war when the USA itself could do with the money for education, housing and healthcare
* **USA wasn’t winning** - despite the cost of the war, VC and NVA were still strong. Shown in Tet and occupation of the embassy. Atrocities exposed through events such as My Lai

Which group of people were particularly opposed to the war?

Hippies - promoted peace and love (made up of mainly youth)

How many protests were there in 1968 and 1969?

hundreds

How many people attended the Washington protest in November 1969?

500,000

Give an example of a violent protest carried out by students?

August 1970 - bomb set off in University of Wisconsin-Madison in response to the Uni’s research into weapons for the US government - One scientist killed and 3 others injured

Give an account of The Kent State University shootings

* Thursday 30 April 1970 - Nixon announced that US troops had invaded Cambodia
* Students at Kent State demonstrated, and another was planned for monday 4th May
* over weekend there were clashes with the police -windows smashed and police cars damaged
* Mayor of Kent appealed for help - 1000 Ohio National Guardsmen sent
* University tried to ban monday demonstration - didn’t happen - By noon, 3000 people had gathered at the uni (half and half bystanders and protestors)
* Soon, violence began - rocks thrown by students and tear gas fired by National Guardsmen
* 12:24 pm some panicking guardsmen fired 61-67 bullets into the crowd
* 4 killed (2 not even protesting) and 9 injured

What was the impact of the shooting?

Shocked the Nation:

* 2 million students refused to attend classes
* 15 May police opened fire on demonstration at Jackson State College - 2 killed and 12 injured
* 8 guardsmen arrested - none convicted