The Wobblies in Their Heyday: The Rise and Destruction of the Industrial Workers of the World During the World War I Era (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781440833014)

During World War I, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) rose to prominence as an effective, militant union and then was destroyed by a devastating campaign of repression launched by the federal government. This book documents the rise and fall of this important industrial labor organization.

The Industrial Workers of the World--or "Wobblies," as they were known--included legendary figures from U.S. labor history. Joe Hill, "Big Bill" Haywood, and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn have become a part of American popular folklore. In this book, author Eric T. Chester shows just how dynamic a force the IWW was during its heyday during World War I, and how determined the federal government was to crush this union--a campaign of repression that remains unique in U.S. history. This work utilizes a wide array of archival sources, many of them never used before, thereby giving readers a clearer view and better understanding of what actually happened.

The book leads with an examination of the three key events in the history of the IWW: the Wheatfield, CA, confrontation; the Bisbee, AZ, deportation; and the strike of copper miners in Butte, MT. The second part of the book deconstructs the IWW's responses to World War I, the coordinated attack by the federal government upon the union, and how the union unraveled under this attack.

Author: Eric Thomas Chester
ISBN-10: 144083301X
ISBN-13: 9781440833014
Publisher: Praeger
Language: English
Published: 08/26/2014
Pages: 344
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.60lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.20w x 0.80d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2015 pg. 1193