It was a normal high school Monday. In one month I would graduate. Mid-afternoon we knew and were dismissed early. Back then, it seemed like every week for months on end we heard about someone's brother, a neighbor's son, or a former graduate being killed.
On May 4, 1970, the Vietnam War was in a state of intense conflict. The US had just launched an operation into Cambodia in late April to attack North Vietnamese and Viet Cong bases, which had been used to support the insurgency in South Vietnam. This expansion of the war into Cambodia, announced by President Nixon, sparked widespread protests in the United States.
In just 13 seconds, 67 rounds were fired by the Ohio National Guard resulting in the deaths of Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder and injuries to 9 others.
Allison Krause - The day prior to her death, she observed a single lilac within the barrel of the gun of a guardsman on campus. Upon hearing an officer order the guardsman to remove the flower, she caught the flower as it fell to the ground, stating, "Flowers are better than bullets." This quote was enscribed upon her gravestone.
Jeffrey Miller - He had been facing the Guardsmen while standing in an access road leading into the Prentice Hall parking lot from a distance of approximately 265 feet away when a single bullet entered his open mouth and exited at the base of his posterior skull, killing him instantly.
Sandra Scheuer - She was shot once in the neck with an M-1 rifle from a distance of 130 yards while walking between classes. The bullet severed her jugular vein and she died within five or six minutes from loss of blood.
William Schroeder - He was 382 feet from the National Guard at the time he was shot while lying on the ground facing away from the Guardsmen. The bullet entered his left chest at the seventh rib, piercing his left lung, and some fragments exited from the top of his left shoulder. He died almost an hour later while in a hospital undergoing surgery.
Here is a link from a few years ago about the 9 survivors:
"Tin Soldiers and Nixon's coming" That was a real shock to the system, even here in the UK.
It's legendary.
Honestly shocked they included the fact there had been violent protests, buildings torched, and various other unrest over the course of several days prior.
From what I recall previously Kent State was usually portrayed dramatically different. When articles and discussions about it came up.
It all sounds terrible, but there were people like me that were in the Military at the time of the Kent State shooting. My first draft classification in 1967 was 1A, meaning you either voluntarily join the Military and pick the Branch you preferred, or you could sit around and face the Draft Lottery and get stuck in the Army or Marines. I joined the Air Force. My number was 66, they selected up to number 122. I don't know why the students protested because they had school deferments from the draft. They had dudes going across the border into Canada, and they had people cheat the physical requirements to get into the Military. People that loved their country joined or got drafted, simple as that.
I remember that day, everyone was shocked, even the soldiers, how the FUCK do you send in the National Guard with loaded weapons, perfect example what was to come for the United States, I was 14, right then and there I knew that our Government was NOT for the people by the people, I knew NEVER to give up my guns ( my dad brought my first .22 rifle from Sears at the age of 6), I knew the Democratic and Republican parties were anti USA citizens.
Kent State at that time was in a state of siege by violent students and outsiders. They would have burned not only the ROTC building but the entire campus to the ground along with every dorm if left to their own devices.
The ONG was sent there to keep that from happening. Nixon didn't send anyone to Kent State, it was Governor James Rhodes who did so at the request of the mayor of the city of Kent because the police force was overwhelmed by the violence.
It was definitely a turning point for me as well.
https://youtu.be/MN_9VqfVQ9c?si=_mpwjbkhEUpuXe8Q
/\ /\ song must listen; Tin soldiers and Nixon coming We're finally on our own This summer I hear the drumming Four dead in Ohio Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down Should have been gone long ago What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground How can you run when you know? La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la La-la-la-la, la-la-la La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la La-la-la-la, la-la-la Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down Should have been gone long ago What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground How can you run when you know? Tin soldiers and Nixon coming We're finally on our own This summer I hear the drumming Four dead in Ohio Four dead in Ohio (four) Four dead in Ohio (I said four, I said four) Four dead in Ohio (how many more?) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (I wanna know why) Four dead in Ohio (you better tell me why) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (why did they die?) Four dead in Ohio (you tell me why) Four dead in Ohio (I said why) Four dead in Ohio (I wanna know why) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (I said why) Four dead in Ohio (why, Lord?) Four dead in Ohio (why did they die?) Four dead in Ohio (I said why) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (yeah, why?) Four dead in Ohio (please tell me why) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (I wanna know) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (why did they died) Four dead in Ohio (you tell me why) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio (why?) Four dead in Ohio
Those lyrics were rote after one listen in 1971, ithe year of its release.
Yes. Always yes.