Fact check: What other major riots in Los Angeles required military intervention?

1. Summary of the results

Two major riots in Los Angeles history required significant military intervention:

• The 1965 Watts Riots:
• Resulted in over 30 deaths, with two-thirds killed by police or National Guard troops ^[1]
• Nearly 14,000 National Guard troops were deployed at the request of California's lieutenant governor ^[2]
• The 1992 Rodney King Riots:
• 63 people died over six days, including 9 killed by police ^[1]
• Over 2,000 people were injured and more than 1,000 buildings damaged ^[3]
• Required deployment of National Guard, Army, and Marine Corps troops ^[2]
• Was the last time the Insurrection Act was invoked prior to 2025 ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements were missing from the original question:

• Scale of military response: Both events required massive military deployments, with the 1965 Watts riots requiring 14,000 National Guard troops ^[2]
• Chain of command: In 1992, the deployment was requested by both California's governor and Los Angeles mayor ^[3], which contrasts with more recent events in 2025 where National Guard was deployed without governor's consent ^[4]
• Historical significance: The 1992 riots are considered one of the deadliest race riots in American history ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question's framing could lead to several misconceptions:

• It might suggest that military intervention was a simple solution, when in fact it resulted in numerous civilian casualties in both cases ^[1]
• The question doesn't acknowledge the complex social and political contexts that led to these riots:
• The 1992 riots were triggered by the acquittal of police officers in the Rodney King beating case ^[3]
• Both events were fundamentally tied to racial tensions and police violence, not just civil unrest requiring military response ^[1]