I never ever thought that the National Guard did anything wrong. I thought the students were in the wrong by throwing stuff and destroying stuff and setting fires.
I also thought the students were pretty stupid to throw stuff at people with guns. So they were told the guns weren’t loaded or had blanks. H*ll everyone knows that “unloaded” guns are the ones that accidentally go off and kill you.
Rioting and property destruction is illegal. Throwing bricks at people is assault and that’s illegal too. They needed to be stopped. When the guard is called up in these type situations, then everyone should know and expect that deadly force is possible and get their hind end off the street.
The guard should only be called in when they are going to be allowed to use their weapons - why be armed if you are not going to be able to use them. And they shouldn’t have to endure a bunch of crap before using them.
If the people in charge, don’t want the Guard to kill rioters and looters, then they shouldn’t call them in, but they should tell the residents and business owners not to expect them and not to expect any protection, so they can be ready to defend their homes, businesses, and lives.
To Greeneyes:
The Guard didn’t do anything wrong? Of course they did. They recklessly fired on unarmed students who had already dispersed. Two of the students shot were just walking to class.
You are not getting your facts straight, The fire, violence and rioting were on previous days—NOT May 4, 1970.
And the claim that there was a sniper was ludicrous.
Try reading “The Truth About Kent State” by Peter Davies.