Volu m e II - Purdue University Calumet

created the Candlelight Walk and Vigil, which occurs on the anniversary of May 4, to remember the
students and the shootings (Lewis, 2010). That is also a reminder to keep people and perhaps the
government from repeating their mistakes that could result in another incident like the one at Kent State
University.
There were many factors that lead to the Kent State shootings. There was opposition to the Vietnam
War and the expansion of the war. There were misunderstandings between students, university and
government officials, as well as the National Guard, which contributed to the Kent State tragedy. There
were some lies and rumors running rampant. Mistakes were made by everyone and resulted in the horrific
outcome of students being shot by the National Guard. However, the National Guard did not have the right
to shoot those students even if the students were throwing rocks at the Guardsmen. Guns are more deadly
than rocks. The National Guard should not have even had guns on them to deal with that situation.
References
Best, J. J. (2010). The Tragic Weekend of May 1-4, 1970. In T. Hensley & J. Lewis (Eds.), Kent State and
May 4 th : A social science perspective. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press.
Bills, S.L. (1988). Kent state/may 4: echoes through a decade. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press.
Caputo, P. (2005). 13 seconds: A look back at the Kent State shootings. New York: Chamberlain Bros.
Cartaino, C. (2010). It happened in Ohio: Remarkable events that shaped history. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot
Press.
Filo, J. (Photographer). (1970). Kent State shootings. [Photographic image]. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings
Grant, E., & Hill, M. (1974). I was there: what really went on at Kent State. Lima, OH: The C.S.S. Publishing
Company, Inc.
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