Kent State essays

Kent State essays In trying to unravel what happened at Kent State on May 4, 1970, we must determine whether or not the National Guard faced a serious danger from the student crowd. Kent State suffered a big tragedy in May 4th, 1970. Four students were killed and 9 were injured cause of a confrontation between the National Guard and a group of students. The National Guard had great advantage because they had powerful weapons and the students had none except for rocks It is more than obvious that the National Guard did not face serious danger at any moment. It was impossible for them to get hurt or harmed in any way by rocks when they were about 100 yards away. The following is part of a statement made by General Robert Canterbury, Assistant Adjutant General of the Ohio National Guard; "...I felt that, in view of the extreme danger to the troops at this point, that they were justified in firing." In this person's point of view the firing was justified but a member of the National Guard that was also th ere contradicts his statement. "No, I didn't think they'd try to take our rifles, not while we could use the bayonets and butts...The guys have been saying that we got to get together and stick to the same story, that it was our lives or them, a matter of survival. I told them I would tell the truth and couldn't get in trouble that way." Even though most people were on the National Guard's side it is more than clear that the firing can't be justified. There's many other ways, which they could have used to control the crowd. Innocent people died and many other were hurt, both physically and emotionally. ...