Question

Discussion: Kent State

Video Questions:
1. Why were students in particular against the war?
2. What triggered the increase in anti-war demonstrations?
3. What happened at Jackson State University? Why do you think the Jackson State shootings got less press attention than the Kent state
shootings?

Answer 1

College students opposed the Vietnam War due to moral reasons and their right to free speech. The Cambodia Campaign announcement led to increased anti-war protests, resulting in the Kent State and Jackson State shootings. The Jackson State tragedy received less attention, possibly due to racial factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

The students were particularly against the Vietnam War due to moral indignation and their belief that the conflict was unjust. They were also exercising their constitutional rights of assembly and speech. The increase in anti-war demonstrations was triggered by President Nixon's announcement of the Cambodia Campaign on April 30, 1970. This event led to widespread protests on college campuses, including the one at Kent State University where four students were killed by the Ohio National Guard.

The tragedy at Jackson State University involved students protesting the invasion of Cambodia. On May 15, 1970, police opened fire on a group of protesters, killing two individuals and wounding twelve. The Jackson State shootings got less press attention than the Kent State shootings likely due to the racial dynamics of the time, with Jackson State being a historically black college, and the prevailing attitudes towards race and civil rights among both the media and the public.

Answer 2

1. Students were particularly against the war in Vietnam because they were the ones being drafted to fight in it. They felt that the war was unjust and that the government was not being honest about the reasons for the war or the progress being made. Many also felt that the war was a distraction from domestic issues that needed to be addressed.
2. The increase in anti-war demonstrations was triggered by several factors, including the escalation of the war and the draft, the growing number of casualties, and the lack of progress being made in ending the conflict. Additionally, the government's handling of the war, including its use of propaganda and censorship, led many to question the motives behind the war and the government's actions.
3. At Jackson State University in May 1970, two students were killed and twelve were injured when National Guard troops opened fire on a group of unarmed protesters. The Jackson State shootings received less press attention than the Kent State shootings because they happened just ten days later, and the national media was already heavily focused on the Kent State incident. Additionally, the Jackson State incident happened at a predominantly African American university, and there was less public sympathy for the victims among white Americans at the time.