American History Hit
Host: Don Wildman
Episode: Darkest Hours: The Kent State Shootings
Guest: Historian Brian VanDeMark
Date: February 16, 2026

Overview

In this episode, host Don Wildman sits down with historian Brian VanDeMark to explore the tragic events of May 4, 1970, at Kent State University, where members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four and injuring nine. Through a detailed conversation, the episode examines the cultural, political, and social backdrop of this “darkest hour,” the escalation that led to violence, and how the aftermath reshaped American society, politics, and attitudes toward protest and authority.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage: America in 1970

• Vietnam War Context:
  • By 1970, American involvement in Vietnam was deeply unpopular and increasingly costly, both in lives and money.
  • The war was fought during a period of compulsory draft, impacting young Americans directly—especially after 1969, when student draft deferments were revoked.
  • Widespread protests had become a fixture of American life, not just about the war but other issues like civil rights and women’s liberation.
• Social Division:
  • America was “deeply divided. The polarization in the American body politic was profound” (Brian VanDeMark, 08:13).
  • Particularly at Kent State, the campus—largely first-generation, working-class students—sat amid a conservative, traditional town population, creating a volatile social mix.

The Road to May 4th: Escalating Tensions

• Catalysts for Protest:
  • Nixon's expansion of the war into Cambodia in spring 1970 inflamed opposition, viewed as a betrayal of the promise to withdraw troops.
  • Students felt directly threatened after draft deferments ended, raising the stakes of protest.
• Prelude to Violence:
  • May 1: Two peaceful protests; unrest spills into downtown Kent—fires and smashed windows.
  • The Ohio National Guard is called in and a state of emergency is declared by Governor Jim Rhodes, who was running on a law-and-order platform.

The Authorities’ Missteps

• Leadership Failures:
  • Local university officials warned against bringing in the National Guard, fearing escalation.
  • Guardsmen were insufficiently trained for crowd control, equipped only with tear gas and live ammunition.
  • “The three most fundamental points to convey here are poor leadership, poor training, and a volatile emotional atmosphere on both sides.” (VanDeMark, 22:01)
• Governor’s Response:
  • Rhodes used inflammatory rhetoric and made “law and order” a political calling card.
  • “He’s gonna project this image of being the tough law and order guy … not gonna put up with the radical fringe …” (VanDeMark, 16:42)

May 4, 1970: Chaos on Campus

• Gathering of Protesters:
  • Despite assembly bans, about 2,500 students arrived for a planned anti-war rally.
  • Only ~100 National Guardsmen faced the crowd; they were ordered to load rifles with live ammunition—without notifying the students.
  • “The recklessness of that, to me, is absolutely appalling.” (VanDeMark, 25:32)
• Escalation and Shooting:
  • Students confronted the Guard, some hurling rocks.
  • Guardsmen, feeling under threat and cornered against a fenced area, retreated and then, on a loud and chaotic Blanket Hill, a command to “fire in the air” devolved into a volley of gunfire at students.
  • “The ambient noise was so loud, and their level of anxiety and tension … that what effectively happened was some Guardsmen … reacted to just the first word—‘fire.’” (VanDeMark, 32:51)
  • Approximately 35 Guardsmen fired; between 10–12 fired directly into the crowd.

The Tragedy

• Four students killed:
  • Jeffrey Miller (~100 ft from soldiers)
  • Allison Kraus (300 ft)
  • William Schroeder (400 ft)
  • Sandy Scheuer (unaffiliated, merely walking to class)
• Nine others, including one who was paralyzed, were injured.

Aftermath & National Reaction

National Uproar and Divides

• The shootings sent shockwaves nationwide, triggering protest on over 600 campuses and involving 4 million students.
• On May 10, 1970, 100,000 demonstrated at the White House.
• The event further radicalized students and polarized America:
  • “You have two different Americas who are just unwilling to try to understand the other’s point of view.” (VanDeMark, 38:17)
• While most in Ohio defended the Guard, most of the country and later investigations condemned the use of lethal force.

The Scranton Report (36:18)

• President Nixon’s commission determined that:
  • “The shooting itself was unnecessary, unwarranted and unjustified.”
  • “Even if the Guardsmen faced danger, it was not a danger that called for lethal force … The 61 shots by 28 Guardsmen certainly cannot be justified.” (Wildman quoting, 36:39)
  • No orders to fire had been given, and the Guard lacked fire control discipline.
  • After Kent State, loaded rifles were no longer routinely provided to Guardsmen at demonstrations.

Impact: Division and Legal Fallout

• Nationally, college campus culture shifted left, while conservative America became more entrenched.
• Lawsuits by victims’ families led only to modest settlements; there was little sense of justice or accountability.
• Governor Rhodes refused to take responsibility:
  • “Toward the very end of his life, he basically … said, ‘It was a tragedy. It was the worst day of my life, but I did what I thought I needed to do.’” (VanDeMark, 42:46)
• VanDeMark stressed: “Fundamental responsibility for this debacle lay in the hands of the political military leadership of the state of Ohio and the utterly appalling lack of training of those National Guardsmen.” (VanDeMark, 44:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the divisive context:
  • “The center is collapsing effectively in America in 1970. And that sounds troublingly similar to what’s happened here in the last few years.”
    — Don Wildman (08:13)
• On Guard readiness:
  • “They were armed with tear gas and high velocity rifles with live bullets, nothing in between, nothing else. And they had no experience dealing with student protests.”
    — Brian VanDeMark (22:01)
• On failure of leadership:
  • “Leaders have … a moral responsibility to be thoughtful and restrained in the words that come out of their mouth when it comes to dealing with highly volatile situations.”
    — Brian VanDeMark (22:10)
• On the firing event:
  • “Some Guardsmen … either heard or reacted to just the first word—not ‘fire in the air,’ but ‘fire.’”
    — Brian VanDeMark (32:51)
• On national collapse of dialogue:
  • “We’ve reached a point now where there are two Americas … who essentially obviate the capacity to reach out and attempt to communicate … If you don’t communicate, you can’t understand. If you can’t understand, you can’t find any common ground.”
    — Brian VanDeMark (40:45)

Timeline of Key Segments

• US and Vietnam War context: 04:25–08:13
• Kent State’s place and social mix: 09:31–13:17
• Lead-up to the shooting: 16:23–24:08
• National Guard’s deployment and training failures: 22:01–25:32
• May 4th events, step by step: 25:32–33:18
• Immediate tragedy and national reaction: 34:24–39:09
• Aftermath, legal outcomes, and legacy: 41:44–45:01

Reflections & Contemporary Resonance

The episode ends by drawing parallels to today’s polarized America, noting the enduring lesson that democracy’s strength lies in communication and restraint—not force. VanDeMark’s caution about political leadership and the need for proper training resonates anew in a climate of ongoing protest and division.

• “The strength of America lies in the unity of its people.”
  — Don Wildman (41:44)
• “Political leaders … have a moral responsibility to be thoughtful and restrained in the words that come out of their mouth when it comes to dealing with highly volatile issues.”
  — Brian VanDeMark (44:32)

Recommended Reading:

• Kent State: An American Tragedy by Brian VanDeMark

Guest Bio:

• Brian VanDeMark, historian, recently retired from the US Naval Academy, co-author of In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam (with Robert McNamara), and author of Kent State: An American Tragedy.

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