This film is a good example of the problems with the 1968 Guard. They were poorly trained and equipped, still using M1 Garand rifles and M-1 carbines when regular Army units had already been equipped with M-16's. Using powdered CS without soldiers wearing gas masks just means your own men will also be affected by the powder. A Garand with a fixed bayonet was much less effective for crowd control than just using 36" riot sticks. A crowd knows a soldier is unlikely to stab them with a bayonet, but they don't know if they will get cracked in the knees with a riot stick. The M2 sniperscope used with the M-1 carbine show here was already superseded by the much more effective starlight scope in the regular Army. The sniperscope was nearly useless in an urban setting, where all the lights would overwhelm the scope. This lack of effective training, outdated methods of riot control, and obsolescent equipment and weapons led directly to the Kent State shootings less than two years later in 1970.
It wasn’t a “problem” it’s just that there wasn’t a need to equip stateside national guard units with the same military equipment as those in Vietnam, because it was highly unlikely for guardsmen to be put into a situation that would require them to have M-16s, also there was a large surplus of older equipment and it’s always been that national guard units have had or used older equipment again because there’s not a need for them to be loaded out with the same equipment that the infantry uses in combat. A family friend that was in the guard when I was young still had M81 woodland fatigues and Alice gear when they got federalized and sent to the Middle East in 2003-2004
@@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606 It waws a huge problem for the Army having to maintain the logistics for all that obsolescent equipment. Maintaining three types of rifle ammunition, for one example, was a lot more difficult and expensive than just one type. The big difference in the 1968 Guard compared to later was they weren't expected to be deployed to hot combat zones then whereas Guard troops are some of the first ones called up now. Most first line units have exactly the same kinds of equipment now as regular Army. Things had already changed for most Guard units by the time your friend got called up, so his state must have been one that was behind the curve on reequipping. The 1968 Guard wasn't equipped with modern combat weapons nor modern riot control equipment. It was the worst of both worlds..
@@sarjim4381 you are so right because the riots in those days were worse compared to today's times. For example Watts in 1965 over 14,000 California national guard and had to be called up. 1966 Westside riots Illinois guardsman were called up to help. In 68 you had the MLK riots in Illinois you had the Democratic convention. In those times it will make more sense for the guardsmen to have more weapons and armor because people were more vicious and weren't afraid to shoot back at them. To be honest I'm surprised on how they can restore law and order with only m1 garants or m 14. They need a riots Shields not bayonets because it's been said that some of the guardsmen stabbed some of the rioters. But around 1972 the national guard was given m16's.
This film is a good example of the problems with the 1968 Guard. They were poorly trained and equipped, still using M1 Garand rifles and M-1 carbines when regular Army units had already been equipped with M-16's. Using powdered CS without soldiers wearing gas masks just means your own men will also be affected by the powder. A Garand with a fixed bayonet was much less effective for crowd control than just using 36" riot sticks. A crowd knows a soldier is unlikely to stab them with a bayonet, but they don't know if they will get cracked in the knees with a riot stick. The M2 sniperscope used with the M-1 carbine show here was already superseded by the much more effective starlight scope in the regular Army. The sniperscope was nearly useless in an urban setting, where all the lights would overwhelm the scope. This lack of effective training, outdated methods of riot control, and obsolescent equipment and weapons led directly to the Kent State shootings less than two years later in 1970.
Your right m16s were better weapons
@@trainsofsouthwestmichigan03 not much better which is why most soldiers In Vietnam wanted the ak47 or the stoner 63 lmg
It wasn’t a “problem” it’s just that there wasn’t a need to equip stateside national guard units with the same military equipment as those in Vietnam, because it was highly unlikely for guardsmen to be put into a situation that would require them to have M-16s, also there was a large surplus of older equipment and it’s always been that national guard units have had or used older equipment again because there’s not a need for them to be loaded out with the same equipment that the infantry uses in combat. A family friend that was in the guard when I was young still had M81 woodland fatigues and Alice gear when they got federalized and sent to the Middle East in 2003-2004
@@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606 It waws a huge problem for the Army having to maintain the logistics for all that obsolescent equipment. Maintaining three types of rifle ammunition, for one example, was a lot more difficult and expensive than just one type. The big difference in the 1968 Guard compared to later was they weren't expected to be deployed to hot combat zones then whereas Guard troops are some of the first ones called up now. Most first line units have exactly the same kinds of equipment now as regular Army. Things had already changed for most Guard units by the time your friend got called up, so his state must have been one that was behind the curve on reequipping. The 1968 Guard wasn't equipped with modern combat weapons nor modern riot control equipment. It was the worst of both worlds..
@@sarjim4381 you are so right because the riots in those days were worse compared to today's times. For example Watts in 1965 over 14,000 California national guard and had to be called up. 1966 Westside riots Illinois guardsman were called up to help. In 68 you had the MLK riots in Illinois you had the Democratic convention. In those times it will make more sense for the guardsmen to have more weapons and armor because people were more vicious and weren't afraid to shoot back at them. To be honest I'm surprised on how they can restore law and order with only m1 garants or m 14. They need a riots Shields not bayonets because it's been said that some of the guardsmen stabbed some of the rioters. But around 1972 the national guard was given m16's.
The honorable Mayor of the City of Chicago Richard J. Daley approves of this film
Footage from the division street riots June 1966 and Chicago's westside riots July 1966
May 4, 1970 was not a good day to be a Guardsman in Ohio.
Kent state
8:58 This guy was probably saying “Aww Sarge, do I really have to work today?
That M3 is worth top money today.
Just say Tear gas......😏