Peace and Aggression: A Challenge of Our Time
Joan Rapczynski and Florence Zywocinski
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Lesson Plan #1
The Tragedy of Kent State
Objective
to show students how a protest against aggression resulted in violence itself.
Procedure
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1. Remind students of the rights under the First Amendment
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2. Present the following information to the class:
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On April 30, 1970, President Nixon made a speech on national television to announce the invasion of Cambodia. He said the purpose of this mission was to destroy central military headquarters of the Communist forces in South Vietnam which he claimed was hidden in Cambodia. He thought such an act would shorten the war; however, people thought the war was being expanded.
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Mass rallies and protests were held throughout the U.S. against the bombing in Cambodia. One such rally was held at Kent State University in Ohio. At noon on May 1, 1970, 300 Kent State students rallied in protest. Black United Students had held that rally. That night 1000 people rallied in downtown Kent. Windows were broken. On Saturday May 2, the National Guard were called out. Later that same evening 2000 students marched on the ROTC building and set fire to it. While it burned the guardsmen were given orders to shoot anyone that was cutting the fire hoses. No shooting took place, but the mood was set.
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On May 4, at noon students gathered in the Commons. The speaker called for a student strike. Meanwhile state troopers arrived and stated that the gathering was an illegal assembly. They told the people to leave the premises. A few students threw rocks at the state police. When the National Guardsmen arrived they gassed the crowd. Some of the protesters left, but not all. Rocks were thrown at the guardsmen and the guardsmen fired shots into the crowd. The guardsmen later stated that they thought they had been fired upon, but this was later proved to be false. Four students were killed and many were wounded. Within a few days 350 universities across the United States went on strike.
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3. Questions for discussion:
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a. Describe the mood of the time.
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b. Was this an illegal assembly as was proclaimed by the state police?
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c. Evaluate the circumstances of this tragedy; Could it have been resolved peacefully or was violence inevitable?
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d. Discuss this statement—This was to be a peaceful assembly protesting violence (bombing of Cambodia), yet it led to aggression.
