The War Comes Home to College Campuses

The Vietnam War is often what is seen as the beginning for college campus protests, and for good reasons. One example of a very early protest was the one that occurred at the University of Wisconsin. One of the more famous college campus protests occurred in the great state of Ohio, at Kent State University. This protest happened on May 4th, 1970. There was an attempt by some of the school's students to burn down the ROTC building on campus. The National Guard was called in by the Governor of the state to try to control the rioting students. The Guard bayoneted two people on the first day they were called in. The worst violence, however, came on the next day where the Guards fired on the protesting crowds for thirteen seconds. Thirteen people were hit, four were killed. The guards all admitted to the shooting, but were never punished. This is one of the most symbolic forms of war protest and is what many think of when the subject of Vietnam anti-war protest arises.

After the shooting at Kent State University, there were continued protests by students at other schools. Some of these riots were increasingly violent in nature. They even went so far as to call for a revolt that would result in complete governmental overthrow. One such group was called the RYM. Some groups planned strategic bombing of targets like ROTC building and building like that. This group evolved into what is known as "The Weathermen" and then "the Weather Underground" which were violent anti-war, anti-government groups. One such informed observer stated that the burning of the ROTC building looked like it "was right out of the Weather Underground's handbook." These groups and subsequent acts of protest are undoubtedly connected in many ways. The reason that there is a certain level of infamy is because of the death and injury of students. The war had truly hit home, and this violence helped to open the U.S.'s eyes to that fact.