Man Carrying Assault Rifle Into Mall

[abaris]

I don't see why soldiers would be less susceptible than the general population to authority figures. Because of the Milgram Experiment  we know that people will shock each other if someone in authority orders them.

Another factor is probably the general relation of the troops and the ones they're ordered to attack. At Kent State I can see why they did it. No relationship at all and possibly even resentment towards the ones protesting.

It's actually quite an old recipe and I can find examples for that kind of behavior in our own imperial history. During the rebellions of 1848/49 the authorities sent troops from remote parts of the empire to squash the insurgents in Vienna. They didn't have to fear facing friends and family on the other side of the picket and didn't even share their nationality.

[Thumpalumpacus]

There will always be isolated incidents but the general mindset is not to turn the barrel on fellow citizens. I've had this conversation many times over the years with many friends in the service and the consensus is that they would turn on the ass hats giving the orders.

I would hope you're right and I'm wrong, but Nope's point about Milgram's experiment (and later iterations by others) indicate that "orders are orders" is a widely-held mindset.

[Minimalist]

Soldiers are trained to obey orders.  That's what makes them soldiers and not thugs.

It is also why throughout history whenever some politically ambitious commander has said "men, it's up to us to save our country from the evil men who now have control of it" they have willingly followed.

And yes, I can see that happening here.