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The Battle of Athens

World War II Veterans Firing Upon the Jail

While this title may conjure up images of buff, shirtless dudes yelling "For Sparta!", that doesn't turn out to be quite the case. Athens, although known as a Greek center of great learning and philosophers, is also the name of a nice city in Tennessee. Now in the 1930's and '40's, McMinn county, where Athens is located, became full of political corruption. The sheriff of the county would fix the votes through intimidation tactics, locking in the sheriffs of 1934, '36, '38, '40, '42, and '44. At the same time in this county laws were in place where deputies were payed based on the number of citations they delivered. So, deputies would sometimes pull over buses loaded with people in order to cite and fine them all for drunkenness, just for a buck. As one would imagine this irritated many of the World War II veterans returning home from destroying corrupt governments that ruled their people with iron fists. So, for the August 1946 elections, the veterans created a non-partisan party, the GI Non-Partisan League, in order to combat the evils of the county corruption. During the election, the polls were regularly guarded by 15 deputies, but during the 1946 election 200 deputies guarded the polls, and they began harassing and even beating voters at some locations. Tom Gillespie had it the worst, after submitting his vote he was attacked by the deputies, and while running away, got shot in the back; luckily he survived. After the polls closed, the sheriff and deputies took the ballot boxes back to the jail. This understandably upset the veterans, who rightly believed that they were tampering with the results. So, what do a bunch of young, angry World War II vets who were being beaten and fined do? They get their guns, storm the National Guard armory, grab more guns and ammunition and lay siege to the jailhouse. The reported number of vets varies from several hundred to 2,000 attacking the jail, while 55 deputies defended it. When they arrived, they delivered an ultimatum demanding the ballot boxes. The deputies refused and the veterans began opening fire at the jail. Accounts differ but the shooting probably lasted a few hours, after which someone threw some dynamite at the door and blew it in. This convinced the deputies, some of whom were wounded, to eventually surrender. The GI's established a temporary government and then held elections again. After winning their positions, they instituted reforms placing the max salary of officials at $5,000, and removing the unjust laws of deputies being paid on a per citation basis. The League didn't last long after the overthrow, and the traditional parties soon came back into power, but it will be a long time before we forget about the brave fighters for freedom defending themselves in their own backyards.

Oh the Iron(side)y! Part II

Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth

Now Cromwell was still somewhat unknown to the world, but that would change rather quickly. Because of his position in Parliament, he was given command of a cavalry troop. These well trained and organized troops soon became known throughout as the "Ironsides," the unbeatable cavalry under Cromwell. After the Battle of Marston Moor, Cromwell expanded his command into an army, using his cavalry troops as its foundation. Cromwell began running his army in a revolutionary manner. Officers were promoted based upon merit instead of social position; men were trained thoroughly and equipped well; and all troops were chosen mainly upon their religious convictions and their protestant fervor. This New Model Army, as it was soon called, quickly showed its effectiveness as Cromwell beat back the king's forces, winning significant victories at Edgehill and Naseby. Things appeared to be calming down after the Parliamentarians captured the king and won the First English Civil War. But, Charles I soon escaped and recruited the Scottish army with a promise for church reform leaning towards the Scottish Presbyterian Church. This war did not last long, and the king was soon recaptured in two years' time. This led to the trial of King Charles I for treason, something that had never been done before. Prior to Charles' attempt at defeating the Parliamentarians with the Scots, most of the Parliamentary forces agreed that they were only going to decrease the power of the crown. But, many Parliamentarians felt that the king's pact was an act of treason, and so a Rump Parliament called for his trial. 59 commissioners, or judges, summarily tried and executed the king on the 30th of January 1649, for high treason as a "tyrant, traitor, murderer and public enemy." Parliament then ruled England, at the time one of the few European countries without a monarch, in the form of a Republic, modeled upon Calvin and Knoxs' Presbyterian Church government. However, due to infighting among the various factions of the Parliament, Cromwell felt he must intervene, with the power of the army behind him, and declared himself Lord Protector in 1653. It is interesting to note that as Lord Protector, Cromwell had more power than he would as king, since the power of the monarch had been curtailed throughout the years, while the new position of Lord Protector had no such limitations. Never before nor since has a regular man become so powerful in England. Cromwell led the country for the next five years of his life, until he died in 1658 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Now we reach our moment of irony. Cromwell was, above all, a devout Puritan. As such, he abolished all activities that were thought of as sins, causes of sin, or distraction from important things, such as worship and work. This meant that such things as theater, inns, sports, swearing, and inappropriate clothing were all made illegal, under penalty of fines or even imprisonment. Hopefully, you see now why a casino in Las Vegas named after the most powerful English commoner in history seems rather funny.

Oh the Iron(side)y! Part I

King Charles I Dissolution of the Long Parliament

I recently came across an advertisement for a new casino and resort in Las Vegas by the name of the Cromwell. I was taken aback by this at first. By far the most famous Cromwell in history is Oliver Cromwell who became the most powerful man in British Isles that ever was. Born in 1599, Cromwell grew to be a devout Puritan. Being such, he held strict views on how one should behave, worship (disavowing the many symbols of the Catholic church), and be governed. He began as a rather obscure character, becoming a Member of Parliament from 1628 till 1629, when Charles I dissolved Parliament, instead wanting to rule as the absolute monarchs of old. This upset many further who already felt Charles I had Catholic leanings, which threatened many in the British Isles who felt they were one of the few true strongholds of Protestantism against the strength of Rome. At this time in English history, the monarch's absolute powers had been curtailed, giving some power over to Parliament, such as the power to levy taxes. This meant that Charles needed money, especially after his costly campaign against the Scots in 1639, so he called Parliament back into session including Cromwell. This Parliament lasted only three weeks before it was dissolved, due to the MP's attempts to limit Charles and his supporters' powers. In reaction Charles dissolved it, thus cementing its name as the "Short Parliament." But, finding he still needed their power, he recalled Parliament on the 3rd of November 1640. Now Parliament continued to try to weaken the power of Charles and his advisers, but relations did appear to improve as Charles agreed to certain measures and things seemed to calm down with the Scots. But, when the Scots once again invaded, Charles believed that some of the more vocal MPs were actually working with the Scots. He demanded Parliament hand over 5 members on the grounds of treason. When Parliament refused, he decided to take them by force. But the members were warned and fled London, while the king entered the House of Commons. After his failed attempt to arrest the members, which was a severe overreach in his powers, Parliament was quick to act, seizing London and forcing the king to flee. The English Civil War had begun.

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin

Zeppelin Aboard his LZ-3 in 1908

The Count is well known for his contributions to the field of aeronautics, and perhaps even more so for his creations: the Zeppelins. An officer in the Prussian Army, Zeppelin was serving as an overseas observer of the Union Army during the American Civil War when he first came across a hot-air balloon. While in Saint Paul, Minnesota, around 1863, Zeppelin rode in a retired observation balloon from the Union Army. Supposedly, this flight was the inspiration for his later interest in Aeronautics. Many years later, in 1874, Zeppelin put an entry into his journal detailing what would later become his masterpiece: a rigidly-framed, aerodynamically flown ship containing one or multiple gas cells inside. While he attempted to install lighter-than-air programs in the Prussian military while he was a general, he could not convince the other ranking members of their usefulness. Because of this, he wasn't able to truly work on his dream until he was forced to retire from the army in 1891. After many struggles, Zeppelin was finally able to begin building his airship design in 1898. It was to be called the Luftschiff Zeppelin 1, or Airship Zeppelin 1. Two years later, on July 2nd, 1890, the over 400 ft long LZ-1 made it's first successful flight, remaining in the air for 20 minutes. Zeppelin's dream was a reality. The innovator would leave behind a legacy that continues strong today, as rigid airships still bearing his basic designs fill the air, and the magic of these lighter-than-air machines fills beholders with wonder.

The Spanish Civil War: The Rise of the Forgotten Fascist

Franco Reviewing His Victorious Troops

While it has been argued whether or not Francisco Franco was actually a fascist, it is undeniable that he was a dictator who appeared to enjoy the characteristics often associated with fascism. He possessed an acute sense of patriotism, little to no tolerance for those who disagreed with his political aims, a strong controlling hand over all aspects of his people's lives, and a deep dislike of communism. Either way, there are two things I wanted to focus on about the Spanish Civil War; the first is it's use as a training ground for German and Italian Troops prior to World War II, and the second is the fact that Franco's nation was almost ignored after the Nazi's defeat. Just 3 years before World War II, in 1936, Spain descended into arguably the worst form of violence, a civil war-brother against brother, father against son. The war was between the leftist elements of the relatively new Spanish Republic and the more traditional Nationalists that were often concentrated in the military. Interestingly the Republic forces were backed by the Soviet Union, making one question whether this was a Republic in name only. The Nationalists were backed by both German and Italian forces as they attempted to add another member to the growing club of European ultra-nationalists. The war started after a partially successful coup left the country split between Nationalist and Republic forces. Franco soon found himself in charge of the Nationalist uprising. This is due mainly to the fact that the other senior officers of the rebellion had had previous experiences that left them appearing slightly untrustworthy to many of the hard-core nationalists, as well as the fact that Hitler promised to send all his military support to Franco, and Franco alone. Throughout the war, Hitler and Mussolini both sent troops and arms in order to help the nationalist movement, and this is why the Spanish Civil War is often called a "dress rehearsal" for World War II. There is still some debate about how useful the combat was in training the Fascist troops, but I would simply reason that there were some lessons learned in the years of intense combat. Stalin, on the other hand, attempted to covertly help the Republican forces mainly with supplies; interestingly the arms he shipped were either broken, outdated, or brand new and effective, go figure. Either way, after three years of bloody fighting, Franco had won, just six months before the outbreak of World War II. Now, some state that Hitler and Mussolini were expecting Franco to return the favor and help them during by joining the Axis powers. However Franco refrained from entering the war, and most probably saved his state. Why did he not join his "buddies" in conquering Europe? Perhaps it was because Spain was recovering from the horrors of the war. Perhaps Franco wished to focus on his domestic policy rather than an international war. Whatever the reasons, Franco was able to govern Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975. After the first decade of his rule, the harsh oppression of opposition decreased as the last of Republic support waned. Interestingly, Franco's regime was often ignored following World War II, with some believing that his dictatorship was more favorable than the growing threat of the U.S.S.R. and global communism. Franco's legacy is still controversial to say the least. Some in Spain seem to wipe away any memory of him; renaming streets, monuments, and tearing down statues that are even reminiscent to his era. Others wish to open up the official archives and truly reveal what occurred during those years of change and uncertainty; when ideologies clashed, were tried and often only fell with those that supported them.

The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

George V Sweeping Out His German Titles

During the turbulent days of World War I, anger towards the enemy and anything that could be familiarized with it was common. This seems to be a natural reaction in times of war, when people are bent upon the domination of their foes by force, any semblance of their enemies at home is usually treated with hostility. It was such motivation that led to the creation of the House of Windsor, which still rules today in Britain through Queen Elizabeth II. Anti-German sentiment was on the rise in England, especially after the introduction of a new heavy German bomber in 1917, that was capable of crossing the channel and attacking London directly. Then king, George V was cousin to his German enemy Kaiser Wilhelm II through their grandparents Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Their first daughter became the mother of Kaiser Wilhelm, while their first son became the father of King George. This meant that George V inherited the title of House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha through the male line as was tradition. Now here he was, leading his country in the fight against his German cousin, the "Hun", in the name of England, while he himself held a German title! So, George felt he needed to be English, not just in reality only, but also in name. An official proclamation was made, and the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha became the House of Windsor, possibly chosen for its ties to Windsor Castle a famous royal residence. Upon hearing of his cousins' name-change, Kaiser Wilhelm II is reported to have quipped that he planned to see "The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha."