Communist Revolution in America? - The Red Scare 1919 I THE GREAT WAR 1919
Summary
TLDRIn 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
🎧 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.
📰 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.
💥 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.
🔨 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.
🌍 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Red Scare
💡Bolshevism
💡J. Edgar Hoover
💡Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
💡Strikes
💡Anarchists
💡Bombings
💡May Day
💡Racial Tensions
💡Communist Parties
💡AFL (American Federation of Labor)
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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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
comments
you
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