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The Kent State Shooting
On the fourth of May, 1970, the world was shocked by what happened on the campus of Kent State. ... Students came out on the Kent State campus and scores of others to protest the bombing of Cambodia, a decision of President Nixons that appeared to expand the Vietnam War. ... Kent State became a much talked about and troublesome in American homes. ... The town of Kent and the university were barely able to stand one another. ...
In order to understand what happened at Kent State, one must understand the town of Kent. ... Kent was a quieter town, with a successful grain-processing industry. When Ravenna became the county seat, Kent was given the low honor, in its opinion, of hosting the new college. At first, Kent embraced the economic shot in the arm represented by a state facility. After many years, however, the flood of out-of-state students with liberal leanings began to wear on the nerves of Kents more conventional citizens. By the late 1960s, the city of Kent and the Kent State campus were barely tolerant of each other. ...
The town of Kent braced for the usual end-of-class mayhem that weekend. ... After being informed of the events, Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom declared a "state of emergency," and arbitrarily ordered all of the bars closed. Kent police, along with the mayor, then confronted the crowd. ...
On the second of May, concerned students came into downtown Kent to offer their time and services with cleanup efforts. ... Rumors of radical activities were widespread, and Kent’s ROTC building was believed to be the target of militant students that evening. ... Kents mayor agreed that some decisive action was necessary, a dusk to dawn curfew was imposed on the city of Kent, and students were restricted to the campus. ...
Angered by the citys sudden curfew, students once again looted downtown Kent. In response to this action, the mayor contacted Ohio governor James Rhodes, asking for state-level assistance in dealing with the violence. Rhodes, a political conservative, ordered a division of National Guardsmen into Kent, supposedly to restore peace in the downtown district, not the campus itself. ...
While attempting to extinguish the fire, several Kent firemen and police officers were pelted with rocks and other projectiles by those standing near the fire. ...
That Ohio Governor James Rhodes, who was running for the US Senate, arrived in Kent and along with city officials, held a news conference. ... ” Rhodes went on about the protestors being “the worst type of people we harbor in America, worse than the brown shirts and communist element…we will use whatever force necessary to drive them out of Kent! ...
The Nixon administration stalled for years, announcing "investigations" that led nowhere; White House tapes subsequently released show that Nixon thought demonstrators were bums, and apparently felt that the Kent State victims had it coming.
Approximate Word count = 3245
Approximate Pages = 13
(250 words per page double spaced)
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