Support us and get 40% off Nebula: go.nebula.tv/the-great-war Watch 16 Days in Berlin on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/16-days-in-berlin-01-prologue-the-beginning-of-the-end?ref=the-great-war - we also want to the thank the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum and Kenneth King for helping us with this episode.
@JJadx3 жыл бұрын
i appreciate seeing this shoutout. research has been done. nice that the museum wanted to help you!
@shawngilliland2433 жыл бұрын
It's a shame that the Colorado Coalfield War took place before the Great War, because it would be grand to see you cover that, Great War Team.
@JJadx3 жыл бұрын
@@shawngilliland243 maybe on their general history channel!
@crismesser9243 жыл бұрын
Thank you for taking time to do this episode on my home. There’s a celebration This year marking the 100th anniversary. You sir are an honorary Appalachian.
@mikhailv67tv3 жыл бұрын
See the movie Matewan by John Sayles. Stars Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones and David Strathairn
@johnalden58213 жыл бұрын
I have found that many Americans are woefully uninformed about our own heroic labor history, which is so important to understanding American history period. We should be studying, analyzing and celebrating this history. This video was an excellent start!
@michaelzann95892 жыл бұрын
Amen Brother!! Have been to Matwan,Blair Mountain and Welch where Sid Hatfield was gunned down.
@Dew2Much2 жыл бұрын
Yes!
@hunterfranke48332 жыл бұрын
Until surprising recently it was illigal for west virgina schools to teach these parts of American history
@jrt8182 жыл бұрын
@@hunterfranke4833 Illigal? Unionized teachers?
@mikeyorkav40392 жыл бұрын
America's religion is capitalism...theyd be damned to let this history reach the majority
@redsands10013 жыл бұрын
that song that goes "sold my soul to the company store" always comes to mind thinking about mining co practices
@rutgerius1233 жыл бұрын
16 Tonnes by Tennessee Ernie Ford, first thing I thought about too
@JDSFLA3 жыл бұрын
@@rutgerius123 I have it on an old 78 record.
@martinsirois37703 жыл бұрын
“16 tons” is a classic. It’s easy to find on KZfaq.
@IgnarHusky3 жыл бұрын
Check out some Joe Glazer, David Rovics, Pete Seeger, Hazel Dickens, Anne Feeney and Utah Phillips, among others. There's A LOT of folk music on Labor by many artists, not just Ernie Ford.
@ThePizzaGoblin2 жыл бұрын
Paid in company money to spend at company stores while your children go to company schools and your wife cleans the company housing.
@iammaxhailme3 жыл бұрын
You go fight for your country in WW1 (one of the most bloody and pointless wars of all time) and what do you get in return? A post-war career of being a mine owner's slave, and the army you served in showing up to stop your quest for better treatment.
@ramona142203 жыл бұрын
Happened to veterans of the Revolution during The Whiskey Rebellion and later to WW1 vets with the Bonus Marchers.
@partymariner3 жыл бұрын
“Thank you for your service!” Yet there are no shortage of morons and sell outs ready to fill the ranks despite all the historical evidence of the disdain society seems to have for military members! (“Soldiers are dumb animals..”-H. Kissinger)
@EnigmaEnginseer3 жыл бұрын
@@partymariner Everyone hates the soldier until the enemy is at the gates.
@dantea14743 жыл бұрын
@@partymariner Cough, "Tommy", 1890, Kipling. Everything old is new again.
@firefox59262 жыл бұрын
@@partymariner heh "thank you for your service".. how bitter those words .. perversely it seems sometime more like a way to mock them than praise them... as the are homeless on the streets..
@CRAZYUNCLE1173 жыл бұрын
My grandfather, born in 1911, had to start in the mines around 5 years old after his father died. He got black lung from the coal dust and still made it to 90 years old. The oldest member of the coal miners union ever.
@cd54332 жыл бұрын
5 years old... ?
@CRAZYUNCLE1172 жыл бұрын
@@cd5433 Yup. His father died and he, along with his older brothers, had to go to work. Back then it was work or starve.
@Scout800DR2 жыл бұрын
@@cd5433 The Mining Union were really messed up. Children of that age and younger were mining miles underground only to be treated as property to the bosses. It's pretty obvious why people declared a war.
@Khornecussion2 жыл бұрын
@@cd5433 Work or starve. Such was how cruel life was back then... yet we complain today if we don't get overfed. They were happy if they had enough money for bread and cheese.
@thecarter87002 жыл бұрын
@@Khornecussion Regardless of that being true You ALWAYS fight for you and your “tribes” place I’m annoyed by the complaining because they never do anything, not because they should “just be happy”
@Oxtocoatl133 жыл бұрын
It's crazy to think that bombs were dropped from airplanes on fellow countrymen. When Bill Blizzard was put on trial, his defense actually presented one of the unexploded bombs as evidence for the brutality and violence of the bosses. Blizzard was acquitted.
@volk45232 жыл бұрын
Because generational wealth buys freedom. Time to rebuild the justice system and increase inheritance taxes to high thresholds. We have families that have been billionaires since the 1600's, and that's ridiculous to exist at all, let alone 400 years.
@praisekek1812 жыл бұрын
@@volk4523 and make the government the monopoly? No
@memelordsamby4982 жыл бұрын
Im blizzard Jr Jr jr and proud of my great grandpa
@Oxtocoatl132 жыл бұрын
@@memelordsamby498 that's awesome!
@cambino662 жыл бұрын
happened a lot more than you think.... look up Tulsa race massacre
@Error-5478 Жыл бұрын
Fun fact: the town of Vulcan West Virginia once asked the Soviet Union for help when the only bridge into their town collapsed. The West Virginian government refused to allocate the money to replace it because the bridge wouldn't see enough traffic. The Soviet Union immediately jumped on the opportunity, as surprised as they were. Since it made the US look quite bad. Not long after the USSR sent a reporter to the town, the West Virginian government allocated $1.3m dollars to build the bridge.
@michimatsch58625 ай бұрын
What I am getting is that we need a new Soviet Union, if just to force the US to do the basic stuff to not look bad.
@TheSouthernDemocratparty24 күн бұрын
West Virginian leaders have always been turncoats since it was formed. The people aren’t that way.
@jeremy281357 күн бұрын
What year was this do you know? Interesting
@korbell10893 жыл бұрын
If you own machineguns, airplanes and a small private army just to keep your employees in line, then you may have a morale problem!
@maxs5141 Жыл бұрын
Talk about a strong HR department 😨
@Justin-pe9cl Жыл бұрын
This made me laugh 😆
@Jason-gg4lm Жыл бұрын
pew pew pew pew
@rc59191 Жыл бұрын
Beatings will continue until morale improves.
@connormcintosh4828 Жыл бұрын
Certainly what I would call a toxic corporate culture.
@montanaelkwhisperer1744 Жыл бұрын
These labor conflicts is where the term "rednecks" originated. The miners wore red kerchiefs around their necks to identify each other in skirmishes. The local reporters called them "the red neckerchiefs"...later shortened to "Rednecks".
@marks16383 жыл бұрын
A local gun enthusiast, who was also a bit of a historian went to the site of the Blair Mountain Battle. He was able trace the various gun battles that raged on the mountain. The Coal Mine Owners and their hired gunners fought the Miners for several days. Several accounts talk about Gatling Guns and more modern military rifles. Both were used, but he found evidence of more modern machine guns being employed based on shell casings and extractor marks that were more in line with Browning Machine guns, not Gatling Guns (though several had been deployed). Many historians of the 1934 National Firearms Act (Restricted ownership of Automatic Weapons) believe the law was not to prevent Criminals from getting Machine Guns (most of the ones used during the Gangster Era of Bonnie and Clyde and Dillinger were stolen from Police and National Guard Armories). It was to prevent Unions (and other Socialist/Anarchist Groups) from acquiring Automatic Weapons during the Depression. They were worried about a violent overthrow of the Government by the very same Socialist/Anarchist Groups. But, it was an attempt actually made in 1933 that may have actually provoked the 1934 NFA. In July 1933, Retired US Marine General Smedley Butler (Two Time MOH Winner) was approached by CEO's of several Large Corporations to get rid of FDR in a coup. He refused and informed the Government. Not one went to jail, but FDR threatened to ruin them publicly if they tried it and the Coup Attempt died on the vine. Many aspects of the Blair Mountain Battle reverberated through Miner's Strikes for years to come.
@MightyFineMan2 жыл бұрын
That is disturbingly fascinating to hear. Thanks for bringing it up.
@juwebles43522 жыл бұрын
They tried to coup a sitting president!?
@marks16382 жыл бұрын
@@juwebles4352 Yes, a group of the richest men in the US plotted to get FDR out of office in July 1933. They believed his meddling in the country's economics was making the Depression much worse (and making them less rich). They tried to convince Retired Marine Corp Major General Smedley Butler to take the job of getting rid of FDR by leading Soldiers to remove him from office. He refused and turned them into the Justice Department. Butler actually wrote a book a couple of years earlier called "War is Just a Racket" denouncing the "Banana Wars" that he famously fought in and the Rich Capitalists as pirates and war mongers. Why they would ask him is just beyond stupidity. The Rich Guys (of course) were never punished, just blackmailed by FDR to keep their mouths shut and stop making trouble.
@celluskh60092 жыл бұрын
Yeah, a guy who made a living speaking publicly against fascism and corporate links to the military was asked by some corporations to lead a military coup to install a fascist government. Sounds legit. Apparently there were 500,000 soldiers ready at arms but none were ever found. Strange that. Guess old Smedley single-handedly saved the world that day.
@marks16382 жыл бұрын
@@celluskh6009 General Butler had made public statements in the past about FDR and Hoover (the Hoover remarks are what forced him to retire). He was considered a controversial individual and in the past he hadn't been reprimanded for some of his actions due to the fact that his father had been the Chairman of the House Naval Service Committee (oversaw Navy and Marine Budgets). Later in life he was constantly making comments in public that criticized political figures for their involvement in Corporations and Foreign Intervention. Between that sentiment and his two Medals of Honor it was felt that he had the respect of the average Soldier or Marine and person on the street to carry off a coup against Roosevelt. He respected the Constitution and didn't want anything to do with any action against the Government. Is it possible that plot actually happened? Several writers have attempted to verify the event and some historical data (based on eyewitnesses and some memos written by certain individuals exists it actually may have been attempted). The Media ridiculed General Butler publicly over the "Supposed" Plot. And the Government has never confirmed it. However a House Committee under Congressmen McCormack-Dickstein after a several month investigation and dozens of witnesses testifying, published a report that confirmed there was enough evidence to believe such a plot had been attempted. That it had not gotten beyond the planning stages and that it mostly certain individuals putting out feelers to see who would support their coup. Also remember that several of "supposed" plotters owned many of the major newspapers of that era and used that Media to ridicule Butler after he outed their plot. One rumored plotter was William Randolph Hearst as he and FDR were bitter political enemies over stuff his papers had published during the FDR election and afterwards. He also disliked Butler over his statements about Hearst's Yellow Journalism that instigated many of the Foreign Interventions by the US Navy and Marines in the "Banana Wars" of the early 20th Century. I can't see him supporting Butler to lead a coup as Gen Butler had a reputation for scrupulous honesty, but Hearst hated FDR even more than Butler. He probably considered Butler a pawn to be used and if the plot failed than Butler would be ruined and jailed.
@jimmyyu21843 жыл бұрын
Yep, "You load 16 tons of number 9 coal, and what do you get? Another older and deeper in debt..." and you owe your soul to the company store.
@JDSFLA3 жыл бұрын
"another year older and deeper in debt..."
@IhaveaDoghouse Жыл бұрын
@@JDSFLA year or day? Some Sysco drivers deliver 8-10 tons a day to around 15-20 different businesses I think miners are doing more if they are loading only. Loading 16 tons a year you wouldn’t be eating lol. Another day older
@yardkartretreads Жыл бұрын
Saint Peter don’t call me cuz I can’t go. I owe my soul to the company store
@fkujakedmyname Жыл бұрын
which side are you on will you be a union man or a scab for jh Blair
@Sercer25 Жыл бұрын
@@fkujakedmyname guy with a picture of sherman asking if you're gonna be on the 'people's side' or the corporations side. LMAO. how ironic. you're also subbed to a channel named 'useful idiots' HAHAHA
@MrHelterskalter3 жыл бұрын
We don't need bosses, the bosses need us!
@WildFreck3 жыл бұрын
soyjak.png
@volk45233 жыл бұрын
@@WildFreck Cope, Capitalist.
@gh0s7-7043 жыл бұрын
boss makes a dollar, i make a dime that's why i watch Great War on company time
@kevinmulcahy79913 жыл бұрын
Shh! they might hear you.
@stevewixom93113 жыл бұрын
don't you need the jobs the bosses provide?
@mnk90733 жыл бұрын
Oh look, another thing you don't hear about in school for SOME reason...
@darkmatterhafnium15223 жыл бұрын
well, schools can’t mention everything. Haymarket, the great railroad strike, and many other strikes have happened and are mentioned in schools. Explaining the causes and the effects of the entire gilded age sometimes doesn’t like time for individual events
@bobpobcf97233 жыл бұрын
I learned about it in US history
@user-K8T2 жыл бұрын
It really depends on where you live. This is something that got mentioned in my school. Same as the Homestead riots. But being living in a coal patch really does shift the focus to things like this.
@Launchpad_McQuack_Is_A_Chad2 жыл бұрын
Unless you grew of in WV. You have to take two years (4th and 8th grades) of West Virginia history during school. I've found West Virginian's typically have a greater understanding of their local history and a greater appreciation of where they come from compared to other states.
@kylethechicken2 жыл бұрын
@@user-K8T Yeah I live in the Rust Belt near chicago so we focused a lot on the Chicago fire, and the post war booms for our area.
@wesleyyork18263 жыл бұрын
Long time watcher of the channel and financial supporter here. So happy that you guys did an episode on this. I'm a lifelong WV resident and you'd be surprised how many people here have completely forgotten about the struggles that this state has gone through.
@axelpatrickb.pingol32283 жыл бұрын
Not surprised. They voted against their interests. So why bother remembering that?
@gingerlee3373 жыл бұрын
I'll second this. This was the first creator I financially supported, and I'm over the moon to see something "local" getting covered.
@dragonsword73703 жыл бұрын
I'm surprised at that. Allegedly you can amble along alot of those mountains including Blair and still find the old weapon caches placed in before and right after the battle. I guess that's where all the 'get vaxxed, get a free gun' incentive program by W.V. government guns are coming from? lol.
@William-Morey-Baker3 жыл бұрын
not surprised in the least...
@thexalon3 жыл бұрын
My impression is a lot of West Virginians fly the Confederate flag thinking it's part of West Virginia's history, when it is in fact *opposition* to that flag that's the reason West Virginia exists as a state.
@thexalon3 жыл бұрын
Worth mentioning here: Sid Hatfield was a descendant of the Hatfield side of the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud.
@kevinstachovak88423 жыл бұрын
I'd assumed as much. WV isn't exactly a massive place, and folks liked to keep local in those parts and in those days
@druidmerlyn3 жыл бұрын
Actually he was an adopted member.
@grogery15703 жыл бұрын
If we are going to talk about that feud, we should remember that while there was bad blood between members of those clans which side you were on depended more on which side of the river you were on. Or in plainer terms which state you were in. Then to really destroy the legend it was an old resolved issue which the coal companies brought up so they could get all the locals off all the coal rich land for less than market value. So maybe that was the first Virginia coal war.
@Mahayanaddamean3 жыл бұрын
But he wasn't though..
@carlewen-lewis33053 жыл бұрын
Thought as much, thank you.
@hairypossum10862 жыл бұрын
As a native West Virginian it makes me happy to see people actually giving a damn about our history
@mikeyorkav40392 жыл бұрын
Your state used to be so based. Wish it got its act together and started spilling the blood of these types of rich crooks again
@MrRekarbenots Жыл бұрын
just wished they learned to pronounce the names of towns right...
@hairypossum1086 Жыл бұрын
@@MrRekarbenots yes nobody can pronounce them right unless they give it the accent
@PappysDungeon45 Жыл бұрын
@@mikeyorkav4039 I'm a West Virginian and your speaking facts. Imagine what the Patriots would think if they saw the bs this government is doing and us all sitting around doing nothing.
@aumann04522 жыл бұрын
Coal miners: "We don't like the fact that our babies are literally freezing to death and dying from pneumonia because the bosses don't pay us" American Government at any point in history: "sounds pretty damn *conspiracy* to me"
@ti-lo5hy2 жыл бұрын
A reasonable standard of living you say? Sounds like a whole lot of Russia to me!
@robertwelch2843 Жыл бұрын
A higher standard of living at the cost of our capital? Sorry no can do
@XwX1001 Жыл бұрын
"What are you, a COMMUNIST?" - American Politicians (when a worker asks for a sick day or a pay raise)
@xplicitmike Жыл бұрын
Yet they always vote Republican... 🤦♂️
@haruhisuzumiya665011 ай бұрын
Gold miners in Australia protested the gold licence The miner movement lead to The establishment of the modern Labour party
@ReconPro3 жыл бұрын
I remeber when I first heard about I thought to myself "Why haven't a heard this before?"
@internetperson4363 жыл бұрын
Because the people in power don’t want you to know about it
@carlyellison84983 жыл бұрын
@@internetperson436 - wrong.
@internetperson4363 жыл бұрын
@@carlyellison8498 how so
@itsjustjoe37903 жыл бұрын
@@internetperson436 keep your powder dry pal. This is coming back around again
@carlyellison84983 жыл бұрын
@@internetperson436 - if people in power do not want you to know about it, then how is it on KZfaq? And should it be flagged and reported?🚩🚩🚩
@ToasterTom3 жыл бұрын
As someone from southeastern Kentucky, it’s really cool to see you all cover this!
@dirtegarbage2 жыл бұрын
is it true that there are no neutrals there
@bigdaddypoz48993 жыл бұрын
The Great War team did an amazing job on this. As a West Virginian from the coal fields, I really appreciate it.
@SMichaelDeHart3 жыл бұрын
As a southern West Virginian...I do too!!
@jessealexander26952 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@serge00storms3 жыл бұрын
oddly the West Virginia Coal Wars are not taught in West Virginia Public schools
@specialnewb98213 жыл бұрын
Don't want to give folks ideas.
@Jay-ho9io3 жыл бұрын
You're the second person to say this here. Is this for real? When were you in high school, or did you teach there? I asked because my Dad is from McDowell county, my grandfather And several others in my family were miners and I was raised hearing about these events. There was a time when it seemed like everyone in West Virginia knew about it. I'm stunned at the idea that that's changed.
@serge00storms3 жыл бұрын
@@Jay-ho9io My aunt was a teacher in West Virginia. She told me that The Battle of Blair Mountain is barely mentioned in a texted book. Maybe a sentence or two
@Jay-ho9io3 жыл бұрын
@@serge00storms jfc. Thanks. I'm stunned.
@-Ljs0093 жыл бұрын
In Wood county at least, I remember having a month section in WV Studies devoted solely to the mine wars. It helps that our teacher is also in the state government as the rep in Charleston. I was in high school in the mid 2010s.
@papadragon6953 жыл бұрын
If your from WV like I am you most likely have relatives who are miners if you’re not one yourself. My great great grandfather was one of the miners who died in the Monongah mine explosion in 1907. A lot of lives lost because the company owners really didn’t care about safety
@tooroundbrown Жыл бұрын
My great grandfather's legs got cut off in a mine, where he bled out and died.
@XwX1001 Жыл бұрын
Rest well, friends. No more suffering where you are now...
@jasonheflin9856 Жыл бұрын
Hello West Virginian resident and a formal coal miner who lost his job in the mines from politics that laid off miners I was in the first 700 of those layoffs even in the modern days miner's life's are controlled by politics. But all in all West Virginia is a great place to live and raise a family
@andrewfus38023 жыл бұрын
i remember my dad talking to me about this, nice to see it get covered by a bigger outlet
@elliottpritt21062 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this video! I am a West Virginia History teacher in Fayette County, WV! My great grandfather took part in these exact events.
@TheGreatWar2 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@txgunguy2766 Жыл бұрын
One of the mine worker leaders at Blair Mountain was Bill Blizzard. In an interview, his son Bill Jr. said " He'd fight at the drop of a hat and, sometimes, you didn't even need to drop the hat."
@kaboom1382 жыл бұрын
"They say in Harlan Country, there are no neutrals there, You'll either be a Union man, or a thug for J.H. Blair. Which Side Are You On, Which Side Are You On."
@obi-juantacobi8552 Жыл бұрын
Well my daddy's a miner and I'm a miners son
@PhoenixAngel429 Жыл бұрын
You never leave Harlan alive.....
@happy-go-commie3 жыл бұрын
You guys should do a labour history spinoff channel or podcast, these labour episodes are really great and the topics are criminally underscrutinized.
@blakeluccason99713 жыл бұрын
This
@gnaskar3 жыл бұрын
That's an argument for doing it on the main channel. If you spin it out only those who look for it will find it, and the people who needs to hear this the most are not looking for it.
@happy-go-commie3 жыл бұрын
Lots of content creators have more than one channel, and this has proven successful for them more often than not. Your argument can also be interpreted as those who don't like obscure or labour histories on the main channel can disengage and go elsewhere.
@NegaRenGenX2gay2lift2 жыл бұрын
the more and more i read up on labour history in america, it is more imperative how labor activism coincided with the early civil rights movement activism in the 1920s. for example i did not know about the Salt Wars and the Pecan Shellers strike in my region. once i become a history teacher i will incorporate the most major events of american labor history in my curriculum
@GhostRider-sc9vu Жыл бұрын
@@NegaRenGenX2gay2lift There are many others like the "Black Patch War" in Southwest Kentucky that climaxed in a raid and temporary occupation of Hopkinsville before the towns Tobacco warehouses were burned and the raiders withdrew.
@tripshot6762 Жыл бұрын
I grew up on the Mingo and Logan county lines. This has always been told in schools and by family members passed down. People do overlook how much of a impact this was for workers rights and so much more. Thanks for covering this.
@shawngilliland2433 жыл бұрын
"Matewan" was a great movie. Thanks for covering this disgraceful incident of unbelievable abuse by robber barons in American history.
@algernonsidney87462 жыл бұрын
Well it's a small world, I finished watching it a few minutes ago and I agree with you it's a great film.
@mikhailv67tv3 жыл бұрын
I saw the movie by John Sayles Matewan when it came out in the 1980's, it effected me and my politics to this day. Brilliant movie, it covers the history, culture and politics of the time. I'm glad to find out that I've been pronouncing it correctly for 40 years . Mate- Wan Jessie
@topper90043 жыл бұрын
Never heard of this topic before, glad you guys made the video. Keep up the great work!!
@col.cottonhill66553 жыл бұрын
Hmmm I have. And I grew up in California. I guess I know alot about history
@plasmaticmedia5183 жыл бұрын
Family story, the coal companies were bringing in scab miners. A family member of mine warned them they wouldn't come out alive for crossing the picket line. He burned sulfer on the air intake openings and then went in to the mine to retrieve a few heads to put on stakes for the next scab crew to find.
@zsl12562 жыл бұрын
Insane, but I cannot find it in me to think of this as anything but an act of desperation. Crazy times
@TheMuckrakers19003 жыл бұрын
Hey thanks for doin this episode, I might be from Baltimore but my dad's family is from southern WV and they were involved in the mine wars. First weekend of September I'm going to Matewan for the Blair Mtn 100 year anniversary events they have planned. I suggest anyone in the mid-atlantic area who's intetested in this history should try and swing over and participate. Solidarity forever ✊
@joemayne3 жыл бұрын
The violent destruction of the organized worker's movement is a "footnote of history". Sad commentary.
@torimaritime69552 жыл бұрын
That's true, but I'd say comparing this to say, the dissolution of the Eastern bloc, kinda also true.
@_gungrave_68023 жыл бұрын
West Virginia is a prime example of what happens when the govt stops caring about the people and lets corporations take over the running of a state.
@SMichaelDeHart3 жыл бұрын
Amen!!
@smrtfasizmu72422 жыл бұрын
Every country on earth is evidence of it. All we have left to choose is socialism or barbarism
@forsaken222 жыл бұрын
@@smrtfasizmu7242 🤦♂️ You socialist and Communists are delusional. "I don't like the rich elites so let's give them even more power than what they already have and also totalitarian control over my life and also give up my property" 🤦♂️
@forsaken222 жыл бұрын
@@smrtfasizmu7242 how's about more freedom instead of tyranny?
@smrtfasizmu72422 жыл бұрын
@@forsaken22 that's not even close to what I believe. What i believe in is: communal control of the means of production by those who work them, democratic control of each workplace by those who work there with no leaders over us (a worker's council), and a central government created by and from representatives of said workers councils and answerable at all times to them which has the power only to help efficiently organize the transportation of goods between areas of different councils. It's sad that people like you cling to a broken system in the hopes of one day climbing to the top at the expense of your fellow human being, through solidarity and communism we will all live better lives
@comically_large_cowboy_hat33853 жыл бұрын
when the union’s inspiration through the worker’s blood shall run
@AlexandraBryngelsson3 жыл бұрын
There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun
@comically_large_cowboy_hat33853 жыл бұрын
@@AlexandraBryngelsson yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one
@@AlexandraBryngelsson For the union makes us strong!
@spyczech3 жыл бұрын
The most bullets fired in any single battle on American soil
@dylanhoward76682 жыл бұрын
Source?
@mjbachman30272 жыл бұрын
More than the three day battle at Gettysburg? Highly doubtful.
@spyczech2 жыл бұрын
@@mjbachman3027 its true modern machine guns firing constantly all day will do it
@jcastle6143 жыл бұрын
So glad to see you guys cover this, lifelong miner have lived and worked in this area all my life.
@turtledan2513 Жыл бұрын
I live in a small town in the south western corner of Pennsylvania. It was a company town. You can tell where all the "bosses" lived. The houses on that street are so different when compared to the rest of the town. I think about their struggles often.
@tadsklallamn8v2 жыл бұрын
If Red Dead Redemption 3 doesn't center around the post-great war labor movement they will have missed a huge opportunity for great storytelling
@LostButBroken2 жыл бұрын
As right wingers lose their shite about games being "political" 🤣
@tadsklallamn8v2 жыл бұрын
@@LostButBroken bruh games are so political its just every game shows the USA shitstomping their enemies
@freetolook37273 жыл бұрын
Ironic that the mine owners paid the union busters more than the men in the mines who made the owners money.
@thexalon3 жыл бұрын
Not ironic in the least. Sort of like how nowadays, cops are paid a lot more than the minimum wage workers they're supposed to keep in line.
@SharkyMcSnarkface Жыл бұрын
Cruelty is the point.
@alexanderl.620710 ай бұрын
Keeping power is more important than profits to capitalists
@rkitchen19673 жыл бұрын
It's interesting that the video doesn't mention the role of Pinkerton Agency detectives in the battle and the labor disputes in WV, not to mention labor disputes in other states such as PA, in the steel and railroad industries.
@Sigmar_Heldenhammer2 жыл бұрын
Didn't the Pinkerton's drive through the miner's town and shoot the place up?
@anon2427 Жыл бұрын
“”Detectives””
@lukebryant5017 Жыл бұрын
@@Sigmar_Heldenhammer loaded them up on flatbeds and drove them through spraying everything
@alexanderl.620710 ай бұрын
Its a white-washed video
@beelz59328 ай бұрын
@@alexanderl.6207do you know of any better videos that aren’t whitewashed?
@tylerwilliamson40883 жыл бұрын
I’m from the area, grew up hearing these stories, it was great finally seeing it get some of the attention it deserves! Thank you all
@DrVictorVasconcelos Жыл бұрын
You didn't mention one of maybe the most important limitations of winning vouchers instead of money, which is the fact that you couldn't save money and get a better life elsewhere. Some people might even think it's justified for them to evict people from their houses when they were fired (even though they actually paid rent), but the problem is that even if they saved, they didn't have any money to move elsewhere.
@zeusdarkgod7727 Жыл бұрын
That's a huge reason WV is the poorest state today, and with the largest drug problem. If anyone truly understands the struggles of black communities in America with the wall placed on growth for the longest time it's West Virginia's, different reasons with the exact same results.
@___KIT__2 жыл бұрын
As a grand daughter of a WVian coal miner, born in a coal town to a long line of miners, I grew up hearing about this sorta stuff but this really helped explain it so much better!
@MrRekarbenots Жыл бұрын
my great grandpa fought in this war...coal miner from McDowell county
@oatmeak3 жыл бұрын
This is so unbelievably horrific, I'm surprised we weren't taught more about this in school.
@SonsOfLorgar3 жыл бұрын
Oh, but that might make you socialists...
@elijahlees86553 жыл бұрын
@@SonsOfLorgar what is wrong with that
@therustbeltblacksmith2 жыл бұрын
that's no accident, the less you know about it, the less likely you'll be able to recognize it.
@jhonshephard921 Жыл бұрын
modern day robber barons (Bezos, Musk, Zukerberg) and their supporters in both the GOP and the non-progressive Democrats(Joe Mansion, Krysten Cinemma) don't want workers to get any ideas
@PhoenixAngel429 Жыл бұрын
Don't want you to get ideas of doing this to the bosses today.
@albertarthurparsnips51413 жыл бұрын
This brings back very fond memories of the outstanding, sadly neglected 1987 picture, ‘ Maitwan ‘, directed by John Sayles, and starring Chris Cooper and James Earl Jones.
@hanovergreen40913 жыл бұрын
Glad you posted this. I love that movie. Ending narrative about keeping him with us....ah man.
@c3aloha2 жыл бұрын
The ending gunfight was tremendous. Sad that Hatfield would be murdered in public later by the coal company.
@algernonsidney87462 жыл бұрын
Well it's a small world, I finished watching it a few minutes ago and I agree with you it's a great film.
@bigatomicsloth3369 Жыл бұрын
A respectful correction, its Matewan. Glad you brought it up, thank you 👍
@riverraisin1 Жыл бұрын
Now on KZfaq.
@holeefuksumtingwong5788 Жыл бұрын
I live about 20 minutes from Blair. A lot of history there. You can still go in the woods and find things from that battle. Bullets. Guns sometimes. I even got some script that my grandfather gave me when I was a kids. It’s so interesting.
@AlexandraBryngelsson3 жыл бұрын
A working class hero is something to be! We salute our fallen brother of labour, your sacrifices will not be in vain. Forward to victory for the labouring classes!
@supermichelangelo57633 жыл бұрын
Solidarity forever! The Internationale unites the human race! ✊🏻⚒🚩
@mcnally2113 жыл бұрын
✊🧠👊✌
@paulwolf75623 жыл бұрын
"Workers of the world, unite"!?? Where have I heard that, before?!? Hmmm, Bolshies??
@SonsOfLorgar3 жыл бұрын
@@paulwolf7562 the First French Republic did it first.
@IgnarHusky3 жыл бұрын
Power to the Union!
@LegendaryKazooMann19363 жыл бұрын
Perfect Watch for Labor Day! ✊ If we don't remember history we are doomed to repeat it, never froget those brave workers and what happened in Blair Mountain!
@garolstipock3 жыл бұрын
This was great. Brought back some memories of a movie "Matewan" I saw as a kid back in the 80's.
@thomaschristopher85933 жыл бұрын
this is what the movies was about? i saw the movie advertisement, and thought it had to do with Matawan, NJ.
@mikhailv67tv3 жыл бұрын
@@thomaschristopher8593 brilliant movie
@nigelhanna35012 жыл бұрын
I thought this channel would end after ww1, but it seems like they’re gonna keep up their on the day history lessons for the foreseeable future.
@franklinhayes5398 Жыл бұрын
My grandpa marched and fought on Blair mountain. My aunt still has a revolver that he carried.
@thenumetalsoldier Жыл бұрын
My grandma when she came to the U.S from Ireland lived in a town next to the whole event of Blair Mountain and my Grandpa was a coal miner as well fighting for his rights... I'm glad to have Union History in my bloodline!
@brunopinheiro16323 жыл бұрын
Glad i discovered this channel, amazing content. Greetings from Portugal 🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹
@sanda3863 жыл бұрын
Ola vizinho. Saúdos de Galicia
@ysmaliwr3 жыл бұрын
This is an excellent video, thank you for providing the history of the miners of West Virginia. I am not suprised that the response by the authorities and mine owners was pretty much the same the world over when miners have striked for basic human rights, decent but not extortionate pay and safe working conditions. As I am Welsh ( Wales is a proud mining country), from a community with mining heritage and my family had numerous coal miners (grandad, great grandad, great uncles) I am always sympathetic to mining struggles and interested in mining history. To all the miners and their families who struggled to get rights we take for granted while working in hazardous conditions to feed their families, you have my ultimate respect. If you don't appreciate the struggles miners have gone through and don't have any appreciation for the contributions they have made...F**k You. Thank you once again Real Time History for the amazing content.
@Chris-vs4wt3 жыл бұрын
I’ve looked into this battle for a while now, thank you for making a video about it
@NYC-Gardener Жыл бұрын
I love that you are spreading this story to many people who have/had no idea. Even many of us who grew up in WV never learn about this story until we are adults. One note for you though, we pronounce Matewan like MATE(rhymes with fate)-wahn
@rickylee2477 Жыл бұрын
Being from WV it was killing me every time he said it lol.
@ibefullofme3 жыл бұрын
Workers: "We want better living conditions" America: "die."
@metalgear65313 жыл бұрын
Miners at Blair Mountain: "COWABUNGA IT IS"
@oddsdenver96733 жыл бұрын
The mayor: this warrant is cap
@user-gz4ve8mw9l2 жыл бұрын
Tragically people today sooner be slaves than die for their freedom.
@brotherjim30513 жыл бұрын
Kinda wish you'd done something on the Red Summer in 1919 and Tulsa, but it's cool how you're showing this part of history.
@jessealexander26952 жыл бұрын
We mention the Red Summer in our Red Scare video, and we interviewed an expert on Tulsa for our Real Time History audio podcast.
@brotherjim30512 жыл бұрын
@@jessealexander2695 that's awesome
@jcerrano982 жыл бұрын
They really do pick and choose what to teach us historically.
@piccolo9172 жыл бұрын
they being?
@phil83782 жыл бұрын
Great video! I wish this was more broadly taught. It’s a great example of the lengths bosses will go to to keep workers in line, but it also shows the power of worker solidarity. Now feels like the time for workers to stand shoulder to shoulder and demand better conditions and pay for themselves and others.
@ZackaryWilliams773 жыл бұрын
It's always interesting to learn about armed conflicts in your Nation. Especially the U.S. because usually you don't hear about stuff like this often.
@davehollick36463 жыл бұрын
Research the Homestead Strike of 1892.
@anon2427 Жыл бұрын
We barely covered the whiskey rebellion at my school
@chrishanneman12982 жыл бұрын
I'm so glad that I came across this video. I've known of this subject for some years but actual documentaries of this quality are hard to come by. Thank you so much. I've been a long time fan of this channel and appreciate all the hard work that goes into it.
@Girli-u8l3 жыл бұрын
I recently join a laborers union, best decision ever!
@keithmoore53063 жыл бұрын
you're a damn fool!!!
@SonsOfLorgar3 жыл бұрын
@@keithmoore5306 yes you are.
@Girli-u8l3 жыл бұрын
@A Fels can you please explain why? I make double what I made on my last job.
@Jay-ho9io3 жыл бұрын
@@Girli-u8l They won't be able to.
@sumsarsiranen3 жыл бұрын
@@Jay-ho9io What makes Amazon so special that an union wouldn't be able to help the workers?
@majorlee762513 жыл бұрын
As the grandson and great grandson of nova scotia miners, thanks for this.
@nikoflow_fm9541 Жыл бұрын
one of the most based events in american history. support to all striking laborers 💪🏻
@origintrackz5235 Жыл бұрын
Yes sir! and who can blame them after the way they were treated! there is a great podcast about it called Martymade whos america the first episode covers the battle at blair mountain and the events leading up to it. interesting listen...
@nikoflow_fm954111 ай бұрын
@@origintrackz5235 Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll listen.
@nikoflow_fm95416 ай бұрын
@@origintrackz5235just saw this comment… thank you for your reply… i’ll check it out!!
@jimboryan97152 жыл бұрын
I am a former KY. Coal miner and my father was also a miner and a die hard U.m.w.a. member! It's crazy to think that they actually dropped bombs on other American citizens and coal miners! All over greed ! Side note I put my pops U.mw.a. hat in his casket with him!
@Navyrifleshooter3 жыл бұрын
The Towns name is pronounced Mate-wan
@patrickholt22703 жыл бұрын
Maytwan?
@progKansas3 жыл бұрын
I saw the movie.
@Navyrifleshooter3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, i grew up not far from there and use to listen to my Great Grandfather and his friends talk about the coal wars
@williamarnold97443 жыл бұрын
Yeah, it's weird hearing him repeatedly mispronounce the name of the town.
@adarra142 жыл бұрын
Also, it's WELCH, not Welsh...but thank you for the content...wonderful!!!
@nomadgrappler94103 жыл бұрын
There is so much USA history that we have just removed from the mainstream teaching.
@c3aloha2 жыл бұрын
And some people don’t want it taught because it will make the mine owners uncomfortable
@mikeyorkav40392 жыл бұрын
If you taught actual us history, the people would want the heads of the rich as i already do
@nomadgrappler94102 жыл бұрын
@@mikeyorkav4039 French revolution 2.0
@c3aloha2 жыл бұрын
@@mikeyorkav4039 yet they’re somehow convinced a shyster NYC “billionaire” is one of them and on their side.
@user-gz4ve8mw9l2 жыл бұрын
@@mikeyorkav4039 Exactly, if people in the USA weren't fed propaganda instead. The vast majority would overthrow the system, if they ever learned the horrific truths of this dystopian hellscape.
@neiloflongbeck57053 жыл бұрын
This makes the Battle of Orgreave on 18th June 1984 look like a tea party.
@AlexandraBryngelsson3 жыл бұрын
Mine workers always fight for what's right. And F Thatcher, ofcourse.
@cptrelentless800853 жыл бұрын
@@AlexandraBryngelsson they weren’t fighting for what was right. Scargill wanted to be dictator of Britain. The Nottingham miners didn’t strike for the reason that it would just destroy their industry. Striking actually just hastened the end of coal mining in Britain. Ultimately it ended with Scargill trying to steal his flat off the union. It was all due to his vainglorious hubris.
@AnEnemy1003 жыл бұрын
Scab.
@K_LeShaeya2 жыл бұрын
1921 - Labor crisis 2021 - labor crisis. we gonna do this again?
@jliller3 жыл бұрын
Was the practice of paying workers in vouchers for the company store, instead of cash, ever actually outlawed? (Seems like something that New Deal legislation would have prohibited.) Or did it only stop because changes in industry and transportation made it no longer economically competitive? That was one of the worst abuses of the late 19th and early 20th century and fairly widespread and in several other industries like logging - not just mining and not just West Virginia.
@SMichaelDeHart3 жыл бұрын
It's called "Company Script"...no it wasn't ever legislated.
@jliller3 жыл бұрын
@@SMichaelDeHart Now that I know what it was called I'm happy to find that it was made illegal by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.
@PhatCunt3 жыл бұрын
its sad because some of these "bosses" who murdered poverty stricken workers and left their families to rot, their children still benefit from it
@remy6978 Жыл бұрын
so happy you made a video on this! Im proud to say that generations before me, there were men and women who refused to be mistreated, and paved the way for proper treatment of hard workers everywhere
@Swordmaster-em3zg Жыл бұрын
As a native West Virginian and even a Mingo County native, this is a great video! It is really nice to hear about my state history from someone besides public education. I highly recommend this video, even though I have never heard Matewan pronounced that way lol.
@milady10662 ай бұрын
I recently visited the town and we had only seen it on a map so we said Matt-e-wan. We learned the correct pronunciation at the Mine Wars Museum. I only learned the correct way myself like 2 weeks ago, but I found myself getting annoyed at hearing it mispronounced in this video... As if I have any right...
@briansmith94393 жыл бұрын
The KKK was very active in opposing the families brought in to staff the mines - my grandparents had a cross burned on their lawn because they were Hungarian and Roman Catholic in Becco, Logan County, WV.
@johnmullen77753 жыл бұрын
Another aspect of the social conflicts of the time theat gets overlooked.
@u-shanks49152 жыл бұрын
Ironically the kkk are dressed up like the Catholics in Europe
@oldesertguy96163 жыл бұрын
I wish you could do a more in depth treatment of this. It's fascinating.
@castillogrande89262 жыл бұрын
American workers: *Rise up against tyrant bosses* *Makhno Loved That*
@Kaanfight2 жыл бұрын
Solidarity
@castillogrande89262 жыл бұрын
@@Kaanfight solidarity comrade
@castillogrande89262 жыл бұрын
@@tunisiwi he was a peasant who led an army of peasants against the white army, for about a year helped to build a viable and successful anarchist project and was betrayed by the imperialist red army in their conquest of Ukraine. Cope harder tankie
@hanskc33023 жыл бұрын
Oooh yes! Rare thrilling topic indeed. Thanks a lot for this episode!
@gatordelt53 жыл бұрын
Back in 2016 I lamented to some high school history teachers where I substituted that the no one was commemorating the Great War. Then I discovered the Great War on KZfaq, shortly after discovering Bazbattles. This is fantastic content! This team is doing a fantastic job of bringing history to life! Have they made a tome for each year, with all the Out of Trenches? That would be awesome! With all the great history content on KZfaq, I don't want to ever hear anybody say history is boring and just names and dates!
@GlennO19612 жыл бұрын
They didn't teach this in school (at least not when I was in school)...I wonder why. Very disturbing. Thanks for this insight. I'm constantly learning new things here.
@jeffrichards1537 Жыл бұрын
I'm from north central West Virginia. 60 miles from Morgantown. I worked in McDowell County in Southern West Virginia. A town called War. Those people are way different than people where I live.
@jimenezisbetta2 жыл бұрын
This video was exceptional. It was a period in history I was unaware of, a period of time that has many lessons to be learned. Everyday we interact and continue to build our society, the lessons learned in this video will not go to waste.
@wbnc663 жыл бұрын
This isn't world history, this is family history for my folks.
@SMichaelDeHart3 жыл бұрын
Mine too!!
@wbnc663 жыл бұрын
@@SMichaelDeHart Family history for a lot of folks from the area. I have been to many of the locations that came up and heard about it from my granddad and Great Uncle who were alive back then. My mom is from Mingo County.
@paulwolf75623 жыл бұрын
I watch these videos and it reminds me of my grandparents stories, about living in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. They had coal strikes, up there, too. That's one of the reasons, my grandparents, and aunt and Mom, moved to Montana. I should say, moved back to Montana? Very interesting times. Pop narrowly missed going, in the U.S. Army, for World War 1. But, his brother, Ray Wertman, was in the 4th Infantry Division, AEF and fought during the Meuse-Argonne offensive.
@spamviking2 жыл бұрын
During the Meuse Argonne Offensive more ammo was fired in the opening 3 hour bombardment than during the entire US Civil War. Also I believe was the highest casualty rate of any US military action.
@dustinsheppard1490 Жыл бұрын
As someone who lives in the area his pronunciation of these names is hilarious lol
@mccoma11 Жыл бұрын
Stopped by to say this lol!
@steverambo46923 жыл бұрын
This is exactly what Bezo's and Musk's Mars colonies are gonna be like
@smrtfasizmu72422 жыл бұрын
Bold of you to assume they won't just have straight up "indentured servitude" that can never be paid off
@smrtfasizmu72422 жыл бұрын
@Alex Funk they'll defend it to the death
@spamviking2 жыл бұрын
Gonna end up like Red Faction.
@steverambo46922 жыл бұрын
@@smrtfasizmu7242 I was being optimistic but you're correct
@smrtfasizmu72422 жыл бұрын
@@steverambo4692 actually I looked it up and the proper term is "peonage slavery" and, despite being federally outlawed in 1867, it was still in practice as late as 1963 in some areas of the South . . . And that's assuming we've found every plantation where it was still happening
@iainplumtree12393 жыл бұрын
Having only seen or read of this in fiction I had thought it dramatised whereas no dramatisation was needed. Thanks. Iain
@amvlabs53392 жыл бұрын
How people rebelled against the government back then: How people rebel against the government to day: post facebook pictures of what people did back then
@XavierbTM12212 жыл бұрын
Yes 👷🖤❤🛠
@XavierbTM12212 жыл бұрын
All the power to the workers!
@Old_8_gauge3 жыл бұрын
This is the first time that American citizens were bombed from the air by US military... will we see a repeat?
@michaelgreen15153 жыл бұрын
The US military or US police?
@metalgear65313 жыл бұрын
If we get too overt with our dissatisfaction with the status quo, probably.
@0witw0473 жыл бұрын
@@michaelgreen1515 the military.
@richardsprout92593 жыл бұрын
We did - City of Philadelphia ( under democrat control) bombed & burned out the MOVE organization & a number of city blocks coveted by the University of Pa. Completely written out of history primarily due to the fact that MOVE was (& is) an African American movement. The US government during the Clinton administration perpetuated WACO - killing children to save them. Who knows what might have happened if the brothers & sisters of MOVE had been able to meet & ‘reason together’ with the brothers & sisters of WACO?? We might be living in a multiracial beloved community free of duopoly & capitalist barbarism……
@metalgear65313 жыл бұрын
@@richardsprout9259 And let's not forget the Tulsa Massacre either!
@tomashton17812 жыл бұрын
I spent ten years living in Davis Tucker county WV, the damage from mine waste will never stop
@RAAM8552 жыл бұрын
Would like to see these guys cover the Bonus Army some day
@lisa29483 жыл бұрын
solidarity forever
@Rhuarc14 ай бұрын
We here in West Virginia all grew up with horror stories about the coal companies, delivered by a grandparent most often, with a grim smile on their face. My grandmother had a drawer full of coal mine scrip, and she had all of us grandkids look at it, to remind us of our people and our history.
@josenicanor51573 жыл бұрын
Thank you for covering this topic, I haven't seen much that dose in such detail.
@curtinj983 жыл бұрын
This is insane. It makes Ford's action seem like a tea party.
@gunterxvoices41013 жыл бұрын
Thank you for covering this.
@machinegunjackmcgurn8043 ай бұрын
My grandfather was born in a mining tent during a strike in 1925. Chatteroy, WV
@lockedinstreetracing6005 Жыл бұрын
Cool I live close to where this happened. I actually live 20 to 25 minutes from there. And the name of the other town besides Mingo is Mate won (Matewon) but you done a great job of describing what happened we have trails out here now that bring in people who ride four wheelers from everywhere.