Woodstock Massacre (New England Secession)

The Woodstock Massacre was a battle at the town of Woodstock, Maine in 1969. The United States National Guard, under orders of President Spiro Agnew, entered the town too attack the attendees and musicians at the Woodstock Music Festival, which as being held there. The soldiers had been told that it was a meeting on how to mass propagandize communism in order to subvert the US Government. In actuality, it was just a group of 450,000 music fans and hippies, just there to have fun. 35,000 people were killed by the National Guard that day, and it was seen as a major event that led to New England's secession in 1986.

Music Festival
Several prominent musicians performed during the first few hours of the music festival, including Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin. Many drugs were consumed. It's been widely publicized by the survivors of the massacre that there were no political activism going on during the festival.

Massacre
In the middle of Joplin's second song, the National Guard attacked, and began firing indescriminently into the crowd. Joplin was struck in the arm, but was not killed.

The firing continued for 12 minutes, and the attendees had nowhere to hide. The 750 National Guardsmen killed or injured over 40,000 attendees, from ages 15 to 31. 35,000 people were killed. The Music Festival was only hours old. The field where the festival was being held was littered with bodies and blood.

Aftermath
Governor of Maine Milton Emerson, Sr., was outraged. He spent more than three days calling the United Nations, American allies, the International Court. He wanted President Spiro Agnew brought up on war crimes and crimes against humanity. It was by some miracle that Agnew wasn't. Impeachment procedings began. Mass vigils were held throughout the country and the world.

It is widely believed that the Woodstock Massacre was a major reason for New England's eventual secession from the United States. The town of Woodstock, Maine, has a large memorial to the festival and those who died. The United States government paid $3.5 million to each of the families who lost a loved one during the massacre. It is considered one the US's most ashamed moments.