Summary Of Kent State Four Dead In Ohio By Derf Backderf

Introduction Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio by Derf Backderf describes the true story of how a peaceful protest resulted in the loss of four students' lives. Taking place during the early 1970s and set against the backdrop of the Vietnam war, Backderf’s work details the polarizing societal views that tore apart the country and the tragic aftermath. Background The early 1970s was a time period characterized by controversy. With the Vietnam War spurring contention across the nation, this period in history marked a pivotal change in our country's history. Vietnam was the first war to use the draft as its primary method of enlistment. With soldiers forced into service, the war sparked a series of protests and riots throughout the nation. Many men

Those who abstained from college education were limited to the possibility of drafting or fleeing the nation, with “an estimated 500,000 men [becoming] draft dodgers” (Backderf, 2020, p. 28). Draft evasion, however, was a crime punishable by fines and jail time. In addition to the war, many civil rights issues came to fruition. There were protests for women’s rights, equal rights between blacks and whites, and protests against the Cambodian invasion that led us further into war. Many of these protests were held by students, including Black United Students, World Historians Opposed to Racism and Exploitation, Students for a Democratic Society, and the Youth International Party. The 1970s was a decade led by youth idealism in efforts to protect and gain natural rights and freedoms for all parties involved. Societal Views of the War As mentioned previously, the Vietnam War was the first war that was not “fought by volunteers” (Backderf, 2020, p. 29). Many men who were drafted were “old enough to die in Vietnam, but not old enough to vote against the creeps who [sent them] there” (Backderf, 2020, p. 29). Though the age for the draft was 18, the legal voting age was