Embedded Files
John Filo (left) with a camera in hand, overlooking the National Guardsmen and students on May 4, 1970. From Kent State University Library.
Context
Context
“In late April of 1970, however, the United States invaded Cambodia and widened the Vietnam War. This decision was announced on national television and radio on April 30, l970, by President Nixon, who stated that the invasion of Cambodia was designed to attack the headquarters of the Viet Cong, which had been using Cambodian territory as a sanctuary” (Lewis).
The Vietnam war was a conflict overseas that America was involved with in the 1960s and 1970s and resulted in many college student protests. President Nixon's choice to widen the wars in Asia upset a lot of people who believed America did not need to be involved with Vietnam. There were more demonstrations (protests) leading up to May 4th and the demonstrations were held in the main grassy area. Sometimes the protests would be cancelled, which was the case for May 4th. The cancellation of the protest that day was one of the first contributing factors to the massacre.
"Protests occurred the next day, Friday, May 1, across United States college campuses where anti-war sentiment ran high. At Kent State University, an anti-war rally was held at noon on the Commons, a large, grassy area in the middle of campus which had traditionally been the site for various types of rallies and demonstrations" (Lewis).
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