1. Kent State Massacre
The anti-war protests of the counterculture through out the week leading up to May 4th , 1970 pushed the government to their breaking point resulting in the Ohio National Guard firing upon unarmed college students at Kent State University

2. Kent State Massacre
Occured on May 4th, At Kent State University in Kent, Ohio
Also known as the May 4th Massacre and the Kent State Shootings

3. What was the Kent State Massacre?
The shooting of unarmed college students by the Ohio National Guard in response to a protest against the invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War

4. How Many Students Died Or Were Wounded?
Four students died: Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, William Schroeder.
Nine students were injured, one of whom was parayzed

5. The Specifics Of the Shootings
Shootings lasted 13 seconds
67 shots were fired

6. Leading Up to the Shootings…
On April 30th President Nixon announced that the military would invade Cambodia
The reaction of the students at Kent State was much like that of other students around the country
Students held a protest on May 1, 1970 at the Victory Bell on the campus of Kent State
Started of as a peaceful demonstration

7. Leading Up to the Shootings…
Progressed later that night into an anti-war rally in downtown Kent as students left the bars
Students set a bonfire in the street, threw bottles at police and broke windows
The mayor of Kent, Leroy Satron, declared a state of emergency
Police used tear gas and batons to get the students back to campus

8. Saturday, May 2nd
The mayor instituted a dusk to dawn curfew and students were restricted to campus
There were rumors that the ROTC Building was going to be a target of militant students (in the first 2 weeks of May, 30 ROTC Buildings were burned on campuses across the nation)
The mayor alerted the Ohio National Guard but did not tell the Kent State officials

9. Saturday, May 2nd An anti-war march began around 8 p.m.
2000 students marched to the ROTC Building
Windows were broken and someone set fire to the building
Firemen were called but students attacked the firemen/hoses
Police surrounded the building and used tear gas to disperse the students

10. Sunday, May 3rd
Kent State was fully occupied by the Ohio National Guard
The governor of Ohio, James Rhodes, gave a speech on campus saying that they would use whatever force needed to drive the protesters out of Kent
The National Guard was told they could shoot if it was necessary

11. Sunday, May 3rd
Again at 8 p.m. a crowd gathered around the Victory Bell
The National Guard issued a new curfew and ordered the crowd to disperse
The crowd refused
Tear gas was fired from helicopters
Students moved and staged a sit-in
Students wanted an explanation from the mayor on why the Ohio National Guard was there

12. Sunday, May 3rd
The mayor agreed to meet with students only if they went back to campus
When they returned to campus the National Guard again shot tear gas from helicopters at the students
They were then beaten with bayonets and some were stabbed as they were herded back into their dorms

13. Monday, May 4th
The Ohio National Guard was not allowing any mass gatherings of students on campus
Around noon a group of about 1500 students gathered on the commons to protest the invasion of Cambodia and the presence of the National Guard
Students were told to disperse
When they wouldn’t the general ordered the guardsmen to disperse them

14. Monday, May 4th
Knowing that students had been injured during the skirmish the night before the students began to flee the attacking guardsmen
The guardsmen followed firing tear gas
Some students threw the tear gas back
Students reached a parking lot where they began throwing stones at the guards who had stopped their advancement at the football field.
The guards began to throw the stones back

15. Monday, May 4th
General Canterbury ordered the guard back because the crowd had been dispersed
As Troop G was retreating about a dozen or so soldiers turned and fired their guns into the crowd in the parking lot
67 shots in 13 seconds; 9 injured and four dead

16. The Aftermath
Hundreds of universities, colleges, and high schools shut down due to a nation wide strike of students
The shootings have become a symbol of the Vietnam War protests
Crosby, Stills, Nash &Young wrote “Ohio” which was a response to the Kent State Massacre

17. Legal Aftermath
In court the case against eight guardsmen was dismissed because it was ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove they didn’t act in self-defense
The Ohio National Guard never released an apology, however they issued a statement that said the shootings should not have happened but because of prior events the guardsmen felt their lives were in danger

18. Conflicting Views General says they were fired upon by a sniper
Guardsmen say they fired in self-defense and they were in fear of their lives
Students say the crowd had dispersed
They were going back to their dorms and classes
They posed no threat
Guardsmen conspired to shoot before they reached the top of the hill

20. Four Dead in Ohio
Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'. We're finally on our own. This summer I hear the drummin'. Four dead in Ohio
Gotta get down to it. Soldiers are gunning us down. Should have been done long ago. What if you knew her and Found her dead on the ground? How can you run when you know?