Unknown battle in the US in 1921

[Loobed]

I just read this story in Archeology Magazine. It is about a battle between 10,000 union coal miners and 3,000 union busters. I wish they would teach this stuff in history class instead of the other garbage I can't even remember.

http://www.archaeology.org/1201/features/blair_mountain_coal_activism_west_virginia.html

 

[Radman]

labor history is often untold here in the good old USA.

 

[Spazdog]

I remember that from 9th grade History class. There was about a paragraph on it.

This was the same American History book that proclaimed the Tet Offensive to be an overwhelming victory for North Vietnam. If one tried to contridict the book and state that it was not a military or tactical victory for the Commies, only political, one would promptly be shut up by the teacher and told to stick to the text. Never mind the kill ratio, the failure to achieve and hold any objectives and the serious decimation of the communist Viet Cong guerillas.

 

[Pablo]

I read that story a couple times. Here's how I read it most recently: Almost every day at lunch I check Wiki's "what happened on this date". Some of the race battles in the south even get less pop coverage, South Carolina had some nasty stuff go down, but will get picked up in the Wiki daily.

Actually we must have had decent history teachers when I was in Jr High and HS, because they covered lots of labor material - of course labor always portrayed as right and correct, when I read the details - pretty nasty stuff on both sides, including where the term "redneck" really came from.

 

[hattaresguy]

Unknown? Really, the History Channel had a special on it. The National Guard broke it up.

Labor relations were pretty violent in that period, this is but one example. The Pinkertons put down a lot of them.

 

[SaturnIonVue]

Originally Posted By: Radman
labor history is often untold here in the good old USA.
And for very good reasons! It's a sorry story of exploitation. A story that would make Engles and Marx blush. If you can, locate a movie called "Matewan." It stars Chris Cooper, and James Earl Jones; directed by John Sayles. It's a good visual history of an era that still has repercussions today in WV.

 

[SaturnIonVue]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I remember that from 9th grade History class. There was about a paragraph on it.

This was the same American History book that proclaimed the Tet Offensive to be an overwhelming victory for North Vietnam. If one tried to contridict the book and state that it was not a military or tactical victory for the Commies, only political, one would promptly be shut up by the teacher and told to stick to the text. Never mind the kill ratio, the failure to achieve and hold any objectives and the serious decimation of the communist Viet Cong guerillas.

Exactly the way it was too! A best case example of where every battle was won...and someone else was declared the winner--by acclamation.

 

[needsducktape]

Good on everyone- for looking deeper.

To many people believe what they are told with no question.

 

[Cristobal]

I am often in the Goldfield, Nevada area. It is a ghost town now. But it had a gripping history.

A hundred years ago it saw classic union busting, Mollie McGuires, Marxist agitators, anarchists, Federal troops, miners getting fired for no reason at all, gunplay, and the whole nine yards of labor trouble there.

 

[greenaccord02]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Unknown? Really, the History Channel had a special on it. The National Guard broke it up.

Labor relations were pretty violent in that period, this is but one example. The Pinkertons put down a lot of them.

Yeah, that special was crazy. They were digging 30-06s out of the dirt at the battlefield hand over fist. There were machine gun installations and all that.

 

[Al]

Its very well known in WV.

 

[91344George]

Nobody ever won a battle unless they were willing to sacrifice their life for it. History proves this.

The reason why unions lost in this country is also because they lost the desire to actually fight for what they wanted even if it meant violence. That is a fact.

The folks that control the printing presses and schools in the US don't want to focus on labor battles, it might create renewed interest considering how these same people have eviscerated out manufacturing and blue collar fields.

Here is another dirty little piece of history in the US where the US government attacked it own soldiers after failing to deliver on a promise to give the men extra compensation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: 91344George
...
The folks that control the printing presses and schools in the US don't want to focus on labor battles, it might create renewed interest considering how these same people have eviscerated out manufacturing and blue collar fields.


I think it was just a badly written history book.

I swear we spent 2 weeks alone on the Teapot Dome Scandal....felt more like 6 weeks. Maybe one page on the Spanish American War. USS Maine, Hearst falsely blames Spain, War, Phillipines, Cuba, Teddy Roosevelt and Rough Riders, Battle of San Juan Hill, Spain sues for peace, the end.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: 91344George
...
The folks that control the printing presses and schools in the US don't want to focus on labor battles, it might create renewed interest considering how these same people have eviscerated out manufacturing and blue collar fields.


I think it was just a badly written history book.

I swear we spent 2 weeks alone on the Teapot Dome Scandal....felt more like 6 weeks. Maybe one page on the Spanish American War. USS Maine, Hearst falsely blames Spain, War, Phillipines, Cuba, Teddy Roosevelt and Rough Riders, Battle of San Juan Hill, Spain sues for peace, the end.


No war of 1812?

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: 91344George
...
The folks that control the printing presses and schools in the US don't want to focus on labor battles, it might create renewed interest considering how these same people have eviscerated out manufacturing and blue collar fields.


I think it was just a badly written history book.

I swear we spent 2 weeks alone on the Teapot Dome Scandal....felt more like 6 weeks. Maybe one page on the Spanish American War. USS Maine, Hearst falsely blames Spain, War, Phillipines, Cuba, Teddy Roosevelt and Rough Riders, Battle of San Juan Hill, Spain sues for peace, the end.


No war of 1812?

Nahh, pre-Civil War American History was 8th grade. I don't remember being as offended by that book for some reason

Maybe because I was in a class with many of the other football players taught by one of the football coaches.

Just the basic facts. Gloss over anything complicated or controversial.