Kent State
Write down 5 things About the song lyrics With your group *
Kent State Shooting- Timeline Thursday, April 30th- Invasion Of Cambodia Friday, May 1st- Kent State demonstration Saturday, May 2nd- National Guard sent to Kent State Sunday, May 3rd- Curfew Monday, May 4th- Kent State Shooting
Victims of Kent state shooting
What happened at kent state? Protest was scheduled for noon (university officials attempted to ban gathering handing out leaflets) 2,000 people gathered near Taylor Hall National Guard tried to disperse students Used tear gas but because of wind it did not work Protestors threw tear gas back and threw rocks National Guard advanced with bayonets & crowd dispersed/retreated Guardsmen went straight to a practice field unsure of what to do next-retraced steps
Why were shots fired? Some students still threw rocks Sargent Myron Pryor turned and began to firing at the students along with other guardsmen 67 rounds of ammunition Reports that a sniper fired on the guardsmen- never proven Later guardsmen said they were scared for their lives- also questioned How long the shooting went on for- 13 seconds vs. a minute or longer Why were shots fired?
What does this Cartoon refer to? What is the cartoon Saying about the U.S.?
My Lai Massacre
My Lai Massacre When: March 16th, 1968- Not publicized until a year later Where: Village named My Lai What happened: ~400- 500 Innocent men, women, & children killed ~Ditch killings and women were raped ~Under orders of Lt. William Calley ~Villagers suspected of being involved with VC
U.S. Army board charged 14 officers of crimes related to the events at My Lai; only one was convicted Calley charged- life in prison- sentence later adjusted to 3 ½ years under house arrest Soldiers who participated in the My Lai massacres claimed they were just following orders…. Should they be responsible?
Video on My Lai Massacre ! Things to look for: >Reaction of Vietnamese >Reaction of soldier >How do both see the My Lai Massacre
Pentagon Papers When: June 17th 1967 – leaked to public in 1971 What are the Pentagon papers: ~ 47 volume study on U.S. involvement in Vietnam ~ Ordered by Robert McNamara (Secretary of Defense) ~ Leaked to Neil Sheehan (NYT) by Daniel Ellsburg Contents of the Pentagon Papers: ~ The Pentagon Papers held information about decision making within Vietnam from Truman to Johnson
How do you think the Supreme court should have ruled? Why? What was revealed ~ Johnson had plans for engaging in war BEFORE Gulf of Tonkin Resolution ~ The papers did NOT say anything about the Nixon administration but Nixon administration tried to stop publication of it ~ Supreme Court Case-New York Times vs. United States How do you think the Supreme court should have ruled? Why?
And the Verdict is….. ~ Supreme Court ruled against U.S. government
The End of the Vietnam war (Finally)!! ~ October 1972- VC & U.S. came to peace negotiations ~ January 1973- Paris Peace Accords - cease-fire - U.S. withdraw troops - POWS exchanged - N. Vietnamese troops would remain in S. Vietnam - North and South Vietnam did not obey cease fire- Saigon fell- and Vietnam unified under one flag in April 1975 as a communist country
Changes on the home front Wars Power Act- 1973 - Restricted the President’s war-making powers by requiring him to consult with Congress within 48 hours of committing U.S. forces in a foreign conflict
Nixon and the cold war ~Nixon and Henry Kissinger (leading advisor on national security and international affairs) concluded there was no worldwide communist movement ~Though they needed relationships with China and Soviet Union because of excellent trading opportunities ~1979- China and U.S. established full political relations Influenced relations with Soviet Union
Détente with Soviet Union ~Soviet leader feared that the U.S.- China relation isolate Russia ~Both U.S. and Soviet leaders visited each other and came to agreements: * Joint space mission * Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) -stopped deployment, and limited certain missiles - did not stop arms race ~Using détente ( policy aimed to ease tensions) 1. Led to the U.S. being more relaxed about communism 2. Logical approach towards foreign policy 3. Moved the world one step closer to ending the Cold War