Communist Revolution in America? - The Red Scare 1919 I THE GREAT WAR 1919

Summary

In this episode of 'The Great War,' the Red Scare of 1919 is explored, detailing the United States' anti-Bolshevik frenzy marked by strikes, bombings, and government crackdowns. The fear of a Bolshevik revolution, fueled by labor unrest and race riots, led to the formation of the Anti-Radical General Intelligence Division under J. Edgar Hoover. The episode also covers global events, including the Romanian army's capture of Budapest and the signing of the Treaty of Rawalpindi, ending the third Anglo-Afghan war.

Takeaways

• 🎧 Audible is highlighted as a sponsor, offering audiobooks that the team uses for research and history content on the go.
• 📚 The script recommends 'A People's Tragedy' as a comprehensive English-language book on the Russian Revolution, suggesting its detailed narrative and interpretation.
• 🗓️ The episode discusses the 'Red Scare' of 1919 in the United States, detailing the fear of a Bolshevik revolution and the subsequent societal and political tensions.
• 🏭 The post-World War I labor movement in the U.S. is described, with the American Federation of Labor (AFL) leading strikes for better conditions amidst harsh working environments.
• 💥 The summer of 1919 is characterized by strikes, race riots, bombings, and government crackdowns, all contributing to the escalation of the Red Scare.
• 📰 Media portrayal of labor unrest as Bolshevik plots is mentioned, with examples of how the press fueled public hysteria and suspicion of radical uprisings.
• 👮‍♂️ The government's response to perceived Bolshevism includes the formation of the Anti-Radical General Intelligence Division, led by J. Edgar Hoover, to investigate and suppress radical activities.
• 💣 A series of bombings in 1919, including the infamous attack on Attorney General Palmer's house, are detailed, illustrating the fear and suspicion directed towards radicals and perceived Bolshevik sympathizers.
• 👨‍🔬 The Lusk Committee's investigation into seditious acts and the prevention of a Bolshevik revolution is discussed, showing the extent of the government's concern and actions against perceived threats.
• 🌐 The global context of the Red Scare is provided, with events in Russia, Europe, and the Middle East, showing the interconnectedness of political and military developments during this period.
• 🔄 The Red Scare's impact on American society is summarized, with the fear of a Bolshevik revolution intertwining with racial tensions, labor disputes, and xenophobia, leading to widespread paranoia and violence.

Q & A

What was the main topic of the episode of 'The Great War' discussed in the script?

The main topic of the episode was the Red Scare of 1919 in the United States, focusing on the anti-Bolshevik sentiment, strikes, bombings, race riots, and government crackdowns.

What was the role of J. Edgar Hoover in the context of the Red Scare mentioned in the script?

J. Edgar Hoover was put in charge of the Anti-Radical General Intelligence Division within the Bureau of Investigation, tasked with hunting for radicals and supposed Bolshevik threats.

What was the significance of the Russian Civil War episode mentioned in the script?

The Russian Civil War episode was significant as it utilized the book 'Orlando Figures of People's Tragedy' for research, which is an English-language book on the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, providing a detailed narrative and interpretation of the events.

How did the script describe the relationship between the AFL and the government during the Great War?

During the Great War, the AFL and the government had an agreement to halt strikes in order to increase war production. The government promised to maintain protections for workers, but this agreement ended once the war was over.

What was the impact of the post-war conditions on the U.S. labor movement in 1919?

Post-war conditions led to serious difficulties for American workers, including the loss of government support for their rights, a wave of inflation, a rise in unemployment, and competition for jobs from demobilized soldiers and former war industry workers.

How did the media portrayal of the Seattle general strike contribute to the Red Scare?

The media portrayed the nonviolent Seattle general strike as a Bolshevik attack, with headlines suggesting it was a test for revolution, which fueled fears of a Bolshevik uprising and contributed to the growing Red Scare.

What was the Senate committee's conclusion about the relationship between the Socialist Party of America, the IWW, and the Bolsheviks?

The Senate committee concluded that the Socialist Party of America, the IWW, and the Bolsheviks were working together to stage a revolution in America, based on their shared history of using a red flag and the perceived vulnerability of up to 8,000 unions to Bolshevik propaganda.

What event in May 1919 marked an escalation of the violence accompanying the Red Scare?

The May Day parades and celebrations in 1919, which were accompanied by widespread rioting and violence against participants in numerous cities, marked an escalation of the violence accompanying the Red Scare.

How did the bombings in June 1919 affect the perception of the Red Scare?

The bombings in June 1919, including the infamous attack on Attorney General Palmer's house, reinforced the climate of fear and were blamed on the Bolsheviks and others under the 'red banner,' further escalating the Red Scare.

What was the significance of the formation of the United States' first Communist Party in the context of the Red Scare?

The formation of the United States' first Communist Party, with its platform of overthrowing capitalism and establishing a dictatorship of the proletariat, kept up fears of a Bolshevik plot and contributed to the ongoing Red Scare.

How did the script describe the connection between the Red Scare and race riots in the summer of 1919?

The script described the connection by highlighting the common view of African Americans as Bolshevik sympathizers during the summer of 1919, with race riots being linked to Soviet Russia in the eyes of many, despite the riots being a result of racism and tensions over jobs and housing.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 Audible Sponsorship and the Red Scare of 1919

The script opens with an Audible sponsorship pitch, highlighting the utility of audiobooks for the show's team during travel downtime. It transitions into a historical overview of the Red Scare in 1919, detailing the societal and governmental paranoia towards Bolshevism. The U.S. government's response, including the establishment of the anti-radical general intelligence division under J. Edgar Hoover, is discussed, as well as the broader context of labor strikes and racial tensions that fueled the Red Scare.

05:03

📰 Media and Government Stoking Fears of Bolshevism

This paragraph delves into the role of the media and government in amplifying fears of Bolshevism. It discusses the Seattle general strike and the subsequent media portrayal as a Bolshevik uprising, despite the lack of evidence for revolutionary intent. The paragraph also covers the Senate committee's investigation into radicalism, the impact of bombings on public perception, and the violent May Day events that intensified the Red Scare.

10:03

💥 Escalation of the Red Scare and Anarchist Actions

The narrative continues with the escalation of the Red Scare, focusing on the anarchist group responsible for the June bombings and the subsequent public and government response. It discusses the Lusk Committee's investigation into radical activities, the racial tensions of the summer, and the impact of race riots on the perception of Bolshevik influence, particularly towards African Americans.

15:04

🔨 Strikes, Steel Industry Conflicts, and the Emergence of Communist Parties

This section discusses the ongoing labor strikes, particularly in the steel industry, and the public fear of a Bolshevik revolution. It details the Boston police strike, the formation of the Communist Labor Party and the Communist Party of America, and the government's response to perceived radical threats. The influence of communism within existing political organizations and the government's xenophobic approach to dealing with radicals are highlighted.

20:04

🌍 International Events and the Red Scare's Continued Impact

The final paragraph provides a roundup of international events in August 1919, including military actions in Russia, the collapse of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, the ratification of the Vimy Republic's Constitution, and the Treaty of Rawalpindi ending the third Anglo-Afghan War. It also mentions the first Silesian uprising and political developments in Bulgaria and Lithuania. The script concludes by emphasizing the ongoing nature of the Red Scare and its significant impact on American society and politics.

Keywords

💡Red Scare

The 'Red Scare' refers to a period of fear and persecution of perceived radical leftist political activity, particularly that associated with communism. In the video, it is the overarching theme, detailing the societal and political response to the perceived threat of Bolshevism in the United States during 1919. The term is used to describe the widespread fear and subsequent crackdown on anything that was seen as potentially subversive to the American way of life.

💡Bolshevism

Bolshevism is the ideology of the Bolshevik Party, which was a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party that eventually led the October Revolution of 1917. In the script, Bolshevism is portrayed as a feared ideology that many Americans believed was infiltrating the US, leading to the 'Red Scare'. The term is used to describe the political beliefs and actions of the Bolsheviks that were seen as a threat to the US government and society.

💡J. Edgar Hoover

J. Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States and is mentioned in the script as the head of the anti-radical General Intelligence Division within the Bureau of Investigation. His role is central to the narrative of the 'Red Scare' as he led the hunt for radicals and supposed Bolshevik sympathizers in the US.

💡Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) is a radical labor union that was established in 1905 and advocates for the labor movement to control all industries. In the video, the IWW is depicted as one of the groups that were perceived as Bolshevik supporters and were involved in labor strikes, contributing to the fear and tensions of the 'Red Scare'.

💡Strikes

Strikes are work stoppages initiated by workers in protest of working conditions, wages, or other grievances. The script discusses numerous strikes that occurred in 1919, which were seen as a sign of labor unrest and a potential vehicle for revolutionary activity, thus fueling the 'Red Scare'.

💡Anarchists

Anarchists are individuals who advocate for the absence of government and hierarchy in society. In the video, anarchists are portrayed as part of the radical groups that were suspected of plotting against the US government during the 'Red Scare', with their activities contributing to the climate of fear.

💡Bombings

The bombings mentioned in the script refer to a series of attacks that took place in 1919, where nearly 40 bombs were sent to prominent figures. These bombings intensified the fear of a radical uprising and were used as evidence by some to support the idea of a Bolshevik plot against the US.

💡May Day

May Day is a traditional holiday for organized labor, celebrated on May 1st. In the script, the May Day celebrations of 1919 are highlighted as being accompanied by widespread rioting and violence, which further escalated the fear and paranoia associated with the 'Red Scare'.

💡Racial Tensions

Racial tensions are the social conflicts and animosities that arise from racial or ethnic differences. The script discusses how race riots in 1919, such as those in Washington DC and Chicago, were linked by some to Bolshevik influences, reflecting the broader fears of the 'Red Scare' and contributing to the overall climate of fear and suspicion.

💡Communist Parties

Communist Parties are political organizations that advocate for the establishment of a classless society based on common ownership of the means of production. The script mentions the formation of the Communist Labor Party and the Communist Party of America in 1919, which were seen as further evidence of the spread of radical ideologies and contributed to the ongoing 'Red Scare'.

💡AFL (American Federation of Labor)

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) is a national trade union center and the largest federation of unions in the United States. In the video, the AFL is depicted as a significant player in the labor movement of the time, with its actions and strikes contributing to the tensions and fears of the 'Red Scare'.

Highlights

Audible audiobooks are recommended for their wide selection of non-fiction history books, including 'A People's Tragedy' for the Russian Civil War episode.

In 1919, the United States experienced a wave of anti-Bolshevik sentiment, leading to the formation of the anti-radical General Intelligence Division under J Edgar Hoover.

The Red Scare of 1919 was characterized by strikes, bombings, race riots, and government crackdowns, reflecting a perceived domestic threat from Bolshevism.

The AFL and other labor groups were seen by some as potential vehicles for Bolshevik revolution, despite working within the existing system for improved worker conditions.

Post-World War I economic difficulties, including inflation and unemployment, fueled labor unrest and the perception of a Bolshevik threat.

The Seattle general strike of 1919 was portrayed by the media as a Bolshevik attack, despite the lack of violence and the non-revolutionary nature of its leaders.

The Senate committee's investigation into Bolshevism claimed a coordinated effort by the Socialist Party, IWW, and Bolsheviks to stage a revolution in America.

The 1919 bombings, including one targeting Attorney General Palmer, intensified fears of a radical uprising and were linked to various groups under the 'red banner'.

May Day 1919 saw widespread rioting during labor celebrations, with violence escalating in cities like Cleveland, where police used tanks against participants.

The Red Scare escalated into mob violence against leftists, with simultaneous attacks across the country, reflecting a growing fear of Bolshevism.

Anarchist actions, such as the bombing of Attorney General Palmer's house, were used as evidence of a broader Bolshevik plot, despite being the work of a small group.

The Lusk Committee's investigation into seditious acts and the prevention of a Bolshevik Revolution led to police raids and the questioning of leftist literature.

African Americans were labeled as Bolshevik sympathizers during the summer of 1919, with race riots being linked to Soviet Russia in the eyes of many.

The formation of the Communist Labor Party and the Communist Party of America in late summer 1919 added to the fears of a Bolshevik plot within the US.

The Boston Police strike and subsequent public fear of police siding with radicals highlighted the tense climate of the Red Scare.

The steel industry strike of September 1919 was met with accusations of Bolshevism and was linked to a discovered bomb plot, further fueling anti-radical sentiment.

Attorney General Palmer's raids to apprehend suspected radicals were driven by xenophobia, with the GID estimating 90% of radicals as foreign-born.

The Red Scare's influence extended to American politics and society, intertwining with racial and labor tensions, and culminated in violence and paranoia.

Transcripts

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August 1919 and the United States is in

the grip of anti-bolshevik fever strikes

bombings race riots and government

crackdowns are racking the country the

government creates the anti radical

general intelligence division within the

Bureau of Investigation and puts J Edgar

Hoover at the helm and the hunt for

radicals and supposed is on it's the Red

Scare

[Applause]

hi I'm Jesse Alexander and welcome to

the great war by the late summer of 1919

many Americans had perceived Bolshevism

as a domestic threat since as early as

November 1917 during this period a sort

of hysteria grew up around the idea of a

Bolshevik coup against the US government

known as the first Red Scare but we're

just gonna call it the Red Scare today

since in 1919 nobody knew there would be

a second one 30 years later so in 1919

some Americans began to view groups such

as the Industrial Workers of the world

the Socialist Party and anarchists as

Bolshevik supporters willing and capable

of infiltrating the labor movement US

intervention in the Russian Civil War

was opposed by many politicians but it

still helped create the image of

Bolsheviks as an enemy

so although the summer of 1919 was not

the starting point of the Red Scare it

was the culmination of the fears and

tensions of the previous year and a half

and the result was strikes race riots

bombings and government crackdowns now

in the years before 1919 the u.s. labor

movement had grown in strength with the

goal of achieving better conditions for

workers who had suffered terribly from

harsh working conditions in the

factories groups like the American

Federation of Labor or AFL which

represented over a hundred unions and

had more than two million members often

went on strike but they also worked

within the existing system rather than

for revolution this resulted in

legislation which improved conditions

for workers but this so-called

progressive era came to an end with the

coming of the Great War to increase war

production labor and government agreed

to halt strikes and the government

promised to maintain protections for

workers but this agreement between the

AFL and the government came to an end

once the war was over

this meant American workers in 1919 were

facing some serious difficulties the

loss of government support for their

rights

a wave of inflation and a rise in

unemployment four million demobilized

soldiers and nine million former war

industry workers were now looking for

work a potent cocktail that would soon

explode in the face of these

difficulties the union's called for

better wages and working

additions but industrialists and

employers oppose them especially on

topics like collective bargaining now

this conflict caused around 3,600

strikes across the country that year in

this rise in labor unrest stoked fears

among some that organized labour was or

could become a vehicle for Bolsheviks to

carry out a revolution in the United

States but this perception was

strengthened by the involvement in some

strikes of more radical labor groups

like the Industrial Workers of the world

and the Socialist Party and the Red

Scare began to grow in January Seattle

was rocked when over 35,000 shipyard

workers struck for better wages and

working hours which soon turned into a

general strike in the city now despite

the fact that the leaders of the strike

were not revolutionary there were some

radicals among the rank-and-file one

organizer later explained I believe that

95 percent of us agree that the workers

should control the industries nearly all

of us agree on that but very strenuously

disagree on the method some of us think

we can get control through the

co-operative movement some of us think

through political action and others

think through industrial action the

press ran wild with stories of Bolshevik

plots amongst the unions the strike was

nonviolent but still the media portrayed

it as a Bolshevik attack with headlines

like Reds directing Seattle strike to

test chance for revolution or belief

grows that strike is start of Bolshevik

revolt Seattle's mayor Ola Hanson swore

in an extra 1000 police officers and

personally led 800 federal troops into

the city in his American flag draped car

he gave the order to the new officers to

kill on sight

anyone attempting to break the law or

start a riot afterwards

Hanson toured the country the rest of

the year giving speeches about the

danger of an imminent revolution the so

called sympathetic Seattle strike was an

attempted revolution that there was no

violence does not alter the fact the

intent openly and covertly announced was

for the overthrow of the industrial

system here first then

everywhere true there were no flashing

guns no bombs no killings revolution I

repeat does not need violence the

general strike as practice in Seattle is

of itself the weapon of revolution all

the more dangerous because quiet to

succeed it must suspend everything that

is to say it puts the government out of

operation and that is all there is to

revolt no matter how achieved fearing

that official and public hostility might

damage the cause of labor across the

country the AFL forced the strikers to

back down but the tone was set for

future strife but it wasn't just the

press that was ratcheting up the fears

of Bolshevism the government did so too

in February a Senate committee

originally formed to investigate German

wartime propaganda was repurposed for an

investigation of Bolshevism and all

other anti-american radicalism in the

United States and was meant to inquire

concerning

any party exercising or claiming to

exercise authority in Russia the

committee released its findings in March

it first claimed the Socialist Party of

America the IWW

and the Bolsheviks were working together

to stage a revolution in America as

evidenced by all three groups history of

using a red flag also the committee

members thought up to 8,000 unions were

vulnerable to Bolshevik propaganda not

to fix the problem they proposed the

country needed new laws to restrict the

activities of aliens and radicals more

censorship and a continued military

presence in Russia in April a series of

bombings further stoked suspicions of a

radical uprising nearly 40 bombs were

sent two prominent figures including

Mayor Hansen senators attorney general

Palmer and industrialists JP Morgan jr.

and john d rockefeller

since initially no suspects could be

identified the press jumped to

conclusions

the New York Times pinned the bombings

on Bolsheviks anarchists and IWW members

the Harrisburg Telegraph even claimed

the failed assassinations meant to spark

a nationwide revolution on May 1st the

traditional holiday for organized labor

but the May Day parades and celebrations

of both radical and non radical labor

groups were accompanied by widespread

rioting in numerous cities and both

police and anti labor civilians used

force against participants violence was

worst in Cleveland where police used

tanks to break up the celebrations and

police and vigilantes wrecked the city's

socialist headquarters so at this point

strikes and hysteria about Bolshevik

plots had led to bloodshed on May Day

and this marked an escalation of the

violence accompanying the Red Scare

which would now get even worse now mob

violence against leftist for their

supposed connections to Bolshevism had

already occurred back in November 1918

when soldiers and sailors stationed in

New York City attacked socialist

meetings but back then the police had

attempted to protect the Socialists from

the attackers but in the tense climate

of mid 1919 with fear of Bolshevism

gaining ground and public discourse

police and anti leftist civilians both

attacked demonstrators this was also the

first time that simultaneous violent

action was taken against leftists in

cities across the country the Red Scare

had reached a new phase things continue

to escalate in June on the second bombs

exploded in eight cities which

reinforced the climate of fear the

bombing of attorney general Palmer's

house in Washington was the most

infamous of the attacks lucky for Palmer

the bomb went off prematurely killing

the attacker destroying the house and

leaving red literature the bomber had

been carrying strewn all over the scene

the flyers called for class warfare and

were signed by a group called the

anarchist fighters now the evidence

points to a small group of about 50

anarchists known as the galley honest

one of whom likely carried out the

attack as revenge for the scheduled

deportation of the group's leader Luigi

Galleani now despite the fact that the

bombings were not an attempt at

revolution some blamed the bombings on

the Bolsheviks and others under the

catch-all term red banner

such as IWW members German sympathizers

and anarchists and Palmer agreed later

that month the lusk committee which had

been created by the New York state

legislature earlier in the year to

investigate seditious acts and prevent a

Bolshevik Revolution decided to start

its investigation earlier

than planned led by senator Clayton our

Lesk the committee had police raid New

York City's russian/soviet Bureau the

city's IWW headquarters the left-wing

socialist headquarters and the rand

school of social science a socialist

college the authorities interpreted

documents seized at the Russian Soviet

Bureau and the ran school including

books by Lenin as evidence of a

revolutionary plot the committee

questioned whether what they considered

violent propaganda should be allowed at

all and opened a case to have the school

shut down now the less committee raids

continued and intensified the practice

of police seizures and creating cases

based on leftist literature that had

begun in 1918 in the end the LES

committee failed since the courts

declined to pursue the cases due to a

lack of credible evidence but the last

committee wasn't only interested in

foreign and leftist groups in isolation

they also claimed that these groups were

planning to radicalize African Americans

to help overthrow the government this

reflected a common view of African

Americans as Bolshevik sympathizers

during the summer of 1919 which saw

widespread race riots in dozens of

American cities African Americans were

labeled Wobblies that's an IWW member

socialists Bolsheviks or anarchists if

they criticized Orthodox American

politics or capitalism resistance and

questioning Jim Crow laws or black

disenfranchisement was linked in the

eyes of many to Soviet Russia black

newspapers were monitored and

investigated by the US government for

fear that these periodicals would

attempt to Bolshevik n'e mericans J

Edgar Hoover even referred to the black

community newspaper The Messenger as the

Russian organ of the Bolshevik II in the

United States and he believed that the

weekly Negro world advocated Soviet

Russian rule and Bolshevism the u.s.

military intelligence division even

concluded that the civil rights

organization the n-double-a-cp

was controlled by Bolsheviks now when

race riots broke out in July in

Washington DC and in Chicago the Bureau

of Investigation claimed that Bolshevik

influences had provoked the

african-american communities into

seditious activity the New York Times

ran a headline of July 28 which read

Red's try to stir Negroes to revolt in

reality though white mobs had started

the riots in both cities and though the

riots of 1919 represented one of the

first times blacks actively fought back

against mob violence they nonetheless

suffered disproportionate life and

thousands of black homes were burned

many black veterans that had just

returned from duty in the First World

War

were also targeted because they were

seen as a threat but the riots were not

a Bolshevik attempt to mobilize African

Americans for revolution they were the

result of racism against African

Americans and tensions brought on by the

competition for jobs and housing amidst

demographic and economic change but in

the climate of the summer of 1919 the

race riots were just one aspect of the

growing Red Scare and as the summer drew

to a close the panic over an impending

Bolshevik Revolution continued the Red

Scare continued in the late summer and

early fall with the formation of the

United States first Communist Party's

10,000 mostly us-born members formed the

Communist Labor Party whose platform

consisted of the organization of workers

as a class the overthrow of the

capitalist rule and the conquest of

political power by the workers another

party the Communist Party of America was

also created by 60,000 mostly

foreign-born members its manifesto

stated the Communist Party shall keep in

the foreground it's consistent appeal

for proletarian revolution the overthrow

of capitalism and the establishment of

the dictatorship of the proletariat some

of the membership of these communist

parties was drawn from existing

political organizations about 60,000

Socialist Party members and about 2,000

IWW members joined now this show that

there was some support for communism in

these two groups but the Socialist Party

continued to work legally through the

existing political system to achieve its

goals while the IWW never fully

committed itself to communism the non

Bolshevik character of the Socialist

Party and the IWW

made it unlikely that they were plotting

with Soviet Russia for a Bolshevik

Revolution now as for the avowedly

communist parties themselves their total

membership of a

70,000 represented less than 1/10 of 1%

of the adult population of the country

which has caused some to question

whether they had enough support

necessary to carry out their program at

all

now while the forming of the new

communist parties kept up fears of a

plot in some quarters the strikes did

not let up throughout September and

neither did the fear of imminent

revolution in Boston the police force

demanded better working conditions and

the right to unionize under the AFL in

the climate of the Red Scare public

officials and some residents feared the

police would switch sides now the Boston

Police did go on strike on September 9th

after a night of looting in the streets

a local newspaper claimed the city was

abandoned virtually to the hoodlum and

criminal in a night of terror and

Anarchy Governor Calvin Coolidge and

mayor Andrew J Peters gathered the

officers who were not striking new

volunteer policemen and 5,000 State

Guard soldiers to restore order at this

point Montana senator Henry L Meyers

claimed the nation will see a Soviet

government set up within two years time

in an echo of wartime logic the strikers

were branded as deserters and instead of

mediating the situation on September

13th the city decided to fire all

striking police officers and recruit new

ones in Coolidge's words there is no

right to strike against the public

safety of anybody anywhere anytime later

in September a major strike broke out in

the steel industry back in July the AFL

wanted Albert H Garry chairman of the US

Steel Corporation to renegotiate the

rights of workers to include collective

bargaining regulated work hours better

wages and days off Garry refused and on

September 22nd over 275,000 steel

workers went on strike nationwide with

the number rising to three hundred and

sixty-five thousand just four days later

yet again the press linked the strikes

to Bolshevism the New York Times claimed

that it came as a shock that organized

labor was prepared to accept such a

radical brand of state socialism and a

clergyman wrote in the

Pittsburgh post-gazette the American

Federation of Labor seems to have fallen

into the hands of the Bolsheviks and the

Reds criticism of the strike increased

when a bomb plot was discovered in Gary

Indiana and the press declared that the

Bolshevik radicals in the country

planned to use organized labor to

overthrow the government allegations

emerged that those arrested for the bomb

plot happened to also be the bomb makers

of the April and June attacks and the

authorities confiscated communist party

Flyers from the alleged plotters the

steelworkers denied any involvement with

the bomb plot or the Communists but it

was too late and even more anger was

directed against the strike within a

month of that strike attorney general

Palmer began raids to rid America of

suspected radicals

he'd been preparing for this move since

the June bombing of his house and had

received half a million dollars from

Congress to apprehend quote those who

sought to destroy law and order in

August he had created the anti radical

general intelligence division or gid

within the Bureau of Investigation and

put J Edgar Hoover in charge now Hoover

created an index which contained a vast

amount of information about suspected

radical organizations including

membership rosters officers and the time

and place of meetings under Palmer and

Hoover's direction the G IDs

investigation of radicals became driven

by xenophobia the GID estimated that

foreign-born residents made up 90% of

America's radicals and that neutralizing

them would put an end to the unrest as

summer turned to fall and the Red Scare

continued the GID was preparing to act

on its suspicions as we will see in a

future episode so by the early fall of

1919 the Red Scare had exerted a major

influence on American politics and the

lives of its citizens for nearly two

years the fear of a Bolshevik Revolution

was now intertwined with tensions

between black and white workers and

owners and native and foreign-born

residents

the result was paranoia in the press and

politics and violence in the streets and

all this while Wilson was trying to

create a stable world order after the

victory over the Central Powers the dark

days of summer 1919 were not the last

instance of the Red Scare as the winter

of 1919

to 1920 would soon show so now that

we've caught up on the Red Scare until

the fall of 1919 it's time for our

roundup segment where we take a look at

what else is going on in August 1919 now

I'm sure by now this comes as no

surprise but let's start in Russia in

siberia admiral called Czechs defeated

army continued its retreat to the east

general wrangles white army launched an

offensive up the volga from Tsaritsyn

but after one month of fighting was

thrown back the Red Army launched an

attack in the dawn region but this was

stopped by the white forces further west

the whites advanced against the Reds

and yes terminals black army and

captured much of Ukraine and on August

8th polish forces captured Minsk from

the Bolsheviks as polish Soviet clashes

continued in Europe on August 4th the

Romanian army captured Budapest and the

Hungarian Soviet republic collapsed but

don't worry we will do another episode

on Romania and Hungary later this year

where we will cover this in more detail

on the 11th the Vimal Republic's

Constitution was ratified it established

parliamentary democracy a legislature

based on proportional representation and

universal suffrage for citizens 20 years

and older also in Germany from August

16th to 26th the first Silesian uprising

took place which saw fighting between

pro polish forces who wanted the region

to join poland and german phicorp and

army troops who crushed the revolt on

the 17th bulgarian elections saw the

victory of the bulgarian agrarian

national union under alexander stamboli

skee who had previously spent three

years in a prison as an opponent of the

war in lithuania on August 28th and 29th

over 200 local poles were arrested by

lithuanian authorities the lithuanian

government had intercepted messages from

polish military intelligence planning a

coup to install a polish friendly

lithuanian government to achieve pursuit

skeez plan of a union between the two

countries that despite the arrests the

actual plotters escaped detection for

the time being and finally on August 8th

the Treaty of Rawalpindi was signed

bringing the third anglo-afghan war to

an end the British recognized Afghan

independence and the border between

British India and Afghanistan was fixed

at the Khyber Pass

as usual you can find all our sources in

the video description below

special thanks goes to Jonathan Dunning

who did the research for today's episode

based on his master's thesis now don't

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video description below

I'm Jessie Alexander and this is the

Great War in 1919 a production of real

time history and the only YouTube

History Channel that is not plotting a

Bolshevik overthrow of America in 1919

despite what you might read in the

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