April Third Movement
Historical Archive
1969–1970
1969–1970
Off ROTC
March 19, 1969
Campus Report: Vice Provost Brooks Sees Need for DoD Move in ROTC Issue
DOD officials should work with universities to formulate a new officer education program compatible with American higher education and to supply civilian leadership for the armed forces.
Also available as three documents:
October 22,1969
Revision of Army ROTC Institutional and Student Contracts
4-page memo from Colonel Ramey, Professor of Military Science to Vice-Provost E. Howard Brooks, October 22, 1969.
November, 1969
ROTC Enrollment Drops
Stanford Observer, November 1969.
February 5, 1970
Community Forum on ROTC Asked
Stanford Daily, February 5, 1970.
c. March 2, 1970
Street Wall Journal
Undated, unsigned flyer with announcements that the People’s Liberation Army will greet the faculty arriving for the March 2 Academic Council meeting; and a debate on ROTC at Tressider on March 3.
No More ROTC!
Undated flyer announcing a meeting in the TMU Large Lounge “open to anyone who opposes ROTC.”
ROTC Must Go
Undated, announcement that “the Stanford New Moratorium Committee is building a movement to throw all vestiges of ROTC off campus, and announcing a Wednesday noon rally on White Plaza, to be followed by a march to President Pitzer’s office, and then to the ROTC facilities.
Two Meetings on ROTC
Undated flyer announcing a noon meeting in White Plaza, featuring Linus Pauling; and a 7:30 PM mass meeting in Bishop Auditorium in the Business School.
Singing Along
Flyer by “radical libertarian alliance” with a Stanford ROTC cadet’s brief description of singing along at Ford Ord on March 7.
April 1, 1970
ROTC: What is to be done?
Flyer announcing the faculty vote of 390 to 373 to retain ROTC, an effort to board up the ROTC building followed by breaking windows at the Graduate School of Business and Aerospace buildings, and an announcement of a meeting Wednesday in Cubberly Auditorium “to discuss where we go from here.”
c. April 2, 1970
Meeting tonight
Undated, unsigned flyer calling for a 9:00 PM meeting in front of Cubberly Auditorium to organize opposition to ROTC.
c. April 6, 1970
Noon Rally Flyer
Undated flyer announcing a noon rally today to be followed by a march to ROTC and a militant all-day mill-in.
April 6, 1970
Stanford Press Release
About 175 demonstrators marched on the building housing ROTC at Stanford for the fourth consecutive night Friday.”
April 6, 1970
The Stanford Anti-ROTC Movement
Unsigned piece explaining the objectives of the Stanford Movement against ROTC.
April 7, 1970
Stanford Press Release
Stanford Press Release
The building housing ROTC offices at Stanford was ordered closed by University President Kenneth Pitzer …”
April 7, 1970
Stanford Press Release
“Small groups of anti-ROTC demonstrators smashed several dozen windows at Stanford Monday night.”
c. April 7, 1970
Why Rock Throwing
Undated flyer from the W.C.M.F. Affinity Group calling for the support of “everyone on the Stanford campus who is against ROTC.”
Northern California Brown Berets
Flyer decrying “the arrogance and racism always displayed by the so called white movement” on the Stanford campus
c. April 7, 1970
Rally and March in Berkeley
SDS flyer announcing a noon rally and march on April 7, with a speaker from Puerto Rico. The second page has information about the anti-ROTC effort in Puerto Rico, and announces a mass meeting at 7:30 PM “to make plans to continue the struggle against ROTC.”
Available as two, one-page documents:
April 8, 1970
Outside Authority to Increase Unless Campus Rejects Violence
Article reporting on messages from university President Pitzer and Provost Lyman warning that “the demonstrations against ROTC represent a new, more violent protest requiring greater reliance on outside police authority.” Campus Report, April 8, 1970. 2 pages.
April 9, 1970
Stanford Press Release
“About 300 persons backing the ‘Off ROTC’ movement at Stanford Thursday night (April 9) endorsed 11 new demands, …”
c. April 10, 1970
Anti-ROTC Strategy Discussed At Meeting
Anti-ROTC Strategy Discussed At Meeting
Stanford Daily (Volume 157, number 33) article about the anti-ROTC strategy meeting that adopted an eleven-point program; and an article about two student groups planning marches against violence.
c. April 13, 1970
ROTC Referendum
Flyer urges “Vote NO on ROTC” at the referendum to be held April 15 & 16; signed by “Charlie Group”
Arguments about ROTC
Questions about ROTC on campus raised by Will Stern and Paul Ford
April 14, 1970
Stanford Press Release
“Trustees of Stanford University voted Tuesday (4/14) to have an ad hoc committee study and prepare a policy statement on the overall question of taking a position on corporate proxy issues. The committee was asked to make a specific recommendation on proxy proposals to expand the General Motors board of directors and create a shareholders committee for corporate responsibility.”
April 14, 1970
Stanford Press Release
“More than 600 persons, many carrying Viet Cong flags and large posters against ROTC, participated in a candlelit march against violence at Stanford Monday night.”
(Note: the second page appears out of context, so probably a page is missing.)
April 16, 1970
Stanford Press Release
President Kenneth Pitzer’s statement to the Faculty Senate regarding ROTC, announcement that campus judicial proceedings have been initiated in 32 cases stemming from protests against ROTC, and a report on the invasion of the Board of Trustees office in San Francisco by members of “Grass Roots,” a group opposed to the Palo Alto Square project.
April 16, 1970
Air Force Unit to Withdraw
“It now ‘seems likely’ that the Air Force ROTC unit will be withdrawn from Stanford....” Stanford University News Service, April 16, 1970.
April, 1970
ASSU Election Results
Numerical results of the student body (Associated Students of Stanford University) election held April 15 & 16, April 22 & 23, 1970.
c. April 19, 1970
Strike Proposal
Undated, unsigned flyer demanding elimination of ROTC programs, and the threat of a strike if the University fails to announce plans to meet the demands by April 21.
c. April 19, 1970
Red Squad Flyer
Undated flyer signed by the “Red Squad” which addresses three questions: (1) Where are we now?, (2) What should our strategy be?, and (3) What is to be done?
April 20, 1970
Stanford Press Release
“About 200 members of the Off ROTC Movement at Stanford voted Sunday to stage a White Plaza rally Monday noon (April 20), followed by a march to the President’s office to present an ultimatum that ROTC be forced off campus.
c. April 20, 1970
Noon Rally
Undated flyer stating demands and announcing a noon rally today followed by a march to Pitzer’s office to present demands.
April 20, 1970
Stanford Press Release
50 ROTC protestors threatened a sit-in if their demands are not met. Provost Richard W. Lyman said the University has “no intention” of granting amnesty to individuals charged with disruptive acts in the demonstrations against ROTC.
Elements for a Rational Cost-Benefit Analysis of Violence
Serge-Christopher Köln, Visiting Professor of Economics, places the cost of damaged windows in perspective.
April 26, 1970
Stanford Press Release
Stanford’s newly elected student officers called campus violence ‘unnecessary and deplorable.’” The Off ROTC Movement announced a two-day “Liberation College” to be followed by a mass meeting to decide whether to call a general strike. Briefly mentioned: a peaceful meeting in the Old Union Courtyard, arson at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, and the Old Union sit-in which culminated in 23 arrests.
c. April 26, 1970
Petition Against Violence
States “we are unequivocally opposed to violent tactics employed by any side in the off-ROTC conflict.”
c. April 27, 1970
ASSU Council of Presidents
Pronouncement urging anyone opposed to violence to attend the Off-ROTC meeting and vote against violence.
c. April 27, 1970
Liberation College
A request for students to boycott classes on Monday & Tuesday to attend anti-ROTC activities. A schedule of activities for the two days is included. Dated “Spring Quarter 1970.”
Also available in four parts:
April 27, 1970
Stanford Press Release
Report on attendance at Monday’s “Liberation College,” attendance at Stanford University classes, and other recent events.
April 28, 1970
Stanford Free Press
Four page newspaper format; Volume 1, No. 1 (April 28, 1970). Articles include “One Major Escape Hatch: ROTC,” “Administration Strategy of Repression,” and “A History of Injunctions.”
Also available as indidual pages:
April 28, 1970
Alice in ROTC-Land
An original play by Jeffrey Blum and Marc A. Weiss, performed on the campus during April and May.
April 30, 1970
Statement from Pitzer Regarding Dr. Howard Brooks
Pitzer’s statement to the Academic Senate regarding Dr. Howard Brooks who had been involved with ROTC negations with the Army and who now is under consideration for a position in the Department of the Air Force.”
May 13, 1970
Doors Blocked Again; SJC Charges Brought
Stanford Daily article on the blockade of the Electronics Research Laboratory, May 13, 1970.
May 19, 1970
Blockade Continues—at ROTC Building
Stanford Daily, May 19, 1970.
May 19, 1970
Stanford Press Release
“During the first six weeks of spring quarter, Stanford lost more than $580,000 from campus disruptions and …”
May 20, 1970
ROTC Poll Draws Attack
ROTC opponents criticize wording of official university questionnaire, Stanford Daily, May 20, 1970.
May 20, 1970
ROTC Poll Is Incredibly Biased
Op-ed by students who have been blockading the ROTC building, Stanford Daily, May 20, 1970.
May 25, 1970
‘ROTC 44’ Halts Door Blockading
Stanford Daily, May 25, 1970.
May 25, 1970
ROTC 44 Splits
Letter to the editor of the Stanford Daily, May 25, 1970 from those who had been blockading the ROTC building saying they were leaving and would be planning further action.
June 2, 1970
Decision Making at Stanford: A Chronology of ROTC
Prepared by ROTC 44, June 2, 1970. (Much of the document is barely legible in the printed copy.)
June 4, 1970
Moffett Commissioning Ceremonies
Commissioning ceremonies will be held at Moffett Field rather than on campus. Stanford University News Service, June 4, 1970.