Battle for Blair mountain: The only time the airforce dropped bombs on americans
Submitted by ruckmanite on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 23:05Would the military kill civilains? They already have. Several weeks ago somone on the dailypaul wrote about the bonus army. For those that missed it check it out. I have no problem believing the rumor that some of the bonus army were put on trains shipped to the everglades and shot because when I lived in West Virginia I heard of similair stories.
I lived in W.v.a for about ten years and never heard of the battle of blair mountain. The miners organized a strikers army or armies and marched throughout the state of west virginia with little to no opposistion from the out numbered police. I quess they thought it wasnt a very good idea to start trouble with a bunch of former WW 1 vets turned miners who had nothing better to do than drink 'shine' while they were striking. I think the term 'redneck' came from them as they wore red hankerchiefs around the neck. I found these videos on googlevideo if you have trouble finding them.
The Battle of Blair Mountain
The Battle of Blair Mountain
Blair Mountain, WV: The West Virginia Mine Wars
COAL MINE WARS: BATTLE OF BLAIR MOUNTAIN & MATEWAN MASSACRE BY HILLBILLY PROUD
For those who have never seen it, the movie matewan is excellent. I think it got awarded 5 stars. Alot of very good actors in it including ray earl jones. What makes it one of my favorite movies is the cast features the six time (last I heard) west virginia fiddle champ, jerry Milnes (my next door neighbor) and my High School vice principal. I dont remember his name even though I liked him because whenever I got sent to his office I could bring up fishing and get off the hook. Became quite a story teller during high school. My favorite character in the movie is the crazy sheriff who was one of either the Hatfields or the Macoys. Matewan .
Apparently if you do a search on the mining wars (which i havent done, so share what you find) you will find more atrocities. I have no problem calling them atrocities. I remember a miner telling us about them and the number of miners that were murdered and it was staggering. unbelievable almost. My father and I questioned whether he had his figures right and the man was adamant that the number killed was as he had stated.
COAL MINE WARS: BATTLE OF BLAIR MOUNTAIN & MATEWAN MASSACRE BY HILLBILLY PROUD
AMERICAN COAL MINER WAR: Before Matewan
AMERICAN COAL MINER WAR: During Matewan
AMERICAN COAL MINER WAR: After Matewan
US Slow Descent into Fascism 1
US Slow Descent into Fascism 2
US Slow Descent into Fascism 3
Matewan Massacre & Battle of Blair Mountain / Byzantine
Matewan Massacre Blair Mountain Battle /Byzantine
Movie description
The year is 1920, the setting Matewan, West Virginia, where the town's coal miners labor under miserable, unhealthy conditions. Enter Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper), a rebellious union leader who wants to organize the West Virginian miners, as well as the Italians and blacks brought in as workers. Based on a real massacre in Matewan that started the 1920-1921 Coal War between miners and coal company thugs, MATEWAN subverts the convention of Westerns like HIGH NOON. Kenehan is not the drifter who will save the miners with his skill at a six-shooter; rather, he is a pacifist whose message of non-violent resistance the miners have difficulty accepting. The story is divided into four parts, alternating between times when Kenehan prevails and times when the instinct for revenge against the coal company wins out. The first large-scale historical epic made by director John Sayles (who once worked in the Meat Packer's Union), MATEWAN is a subtle strike against the anti-union climate of the 1980s and a moving portrait of the difficulties of collective action.
Credits
Cast: Chris Cooper, David Strathairn, James Earl Jones, John Sayles, Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham
Filmed on location in Thurmond, West Virginia.
The film's budget was about $4 million.
Director John Sayles learned of the Matewan Massacre while hitchhiking across the United States in the summer of 1970. One of the big stories at the time was the murder of the union leader Joseph A. Yablonski in January of that year; Yablonski was assassinated as a result of a faction within the United Mine Workers union. The people Sayles met in West Virginia told him that the violence was nothing compared to what their ancestors experienced as a a result of the Matewan Massacre in 1920. Sayles learned more about the Matewan Massacre as he researched the novel UNION DUES.
"The United Mine Workers made a silent short film just after the massacre. It was called SMILIN' SID. But the only print was stolen by a coal company agent and never seen again. So I thought I'd do the remake."--Sayles to Kathy Huffhines of the Detroit Free Press (September 27, 1987)
Some of the characters--Sid Hatfield, C.E. Lively, Few Clothes Johnson--are based on real participants of the Matewan Massacre. The characters whose personal lives are treated in detail--Joe Kenehan, the preacher--are composites of figures Sayles read about.
Some of the crew and actors working on the film were descendants of Matewan survivors.
Sayles makes a cameo appearance in this film as a preacher.
Will Oldham (Danny Radnor) went on to become a singer-songwriter, performing under various names including Palace Music, Palace Brothers, and Bonnie Prince Billy.
Editorial reviews
"...The sweetness and simplicity of an Appalachian ballad....There's not a weak performance in the film..."
New York Times - p.C3 - Vincent Canby
"...MATEWAN is a heartfelt, straight-ahead tale of labor organizing in the coal mines of West Virginia in 1920....MATEWAN is certainly Sayles' best-looking, most professional film to date with period-perfect production design..."
Variety - Jagr.
"...Often inspiring....An American folk epic....[MATEWAN] has a wonderful period look, plus unerring cinematography by Wexler and acting with a rare ensemble vibrancy..."
Los Angeles Times - Michael Wilmington (09/11/1987)
"...A finely hewn tale of corruption set in a mining town....John Sayles' best picture to date..."
Total Film - Daniel Webb (07/01/2003)




















Matewan is an excellent movie, based on a true story.
Thanks for spreading the word.
when was smedley butler
when was smedley butler telling about a plan to send disgruntled veterans to d.c. to start a coupe? In the documentary about the bonus army they mentioned concerns the government had that the bonus army could precipitate the same thing. It makes me wonder if the morgans and the bushs were not trying to try pull the same stunt with the bonus army that they tried to pull off with smedley.
I live near the area of Matewan
Today the area is riffe with prescription pain drug abuse, poverty and unemployment. Many little "coal towns" resemble ghettos and the historic buildings of the '20's and '30's are caving in while Rockefeller still sits over the entire state and it holds on to coal production as to a lifeline on a sinking freighter...
"Unite Or Die"..
when i moved to wva in 1984
when i moved to wva in 1984 it actually had communities. people walking up and down the streets just to socialize. very few problems some stood on the corner looking for the buzz 'pot'. now hillbilly heroin which is oxycotin and meth DID change them into ghettos like you said. Seems like the only thing left to steal is whats already been stolen. half the people are snitches or in prison or just out...we moved out. rockefeller does own that state and keeps it poor.
All of it
....True. All of it evidence we never learned a thing....
Since the Federal Reserve was created in 1913 to cause the total enslavement.....for all reasons.
interesting topic... I
interesting topic... I remember my grandfather and I talking about the ww1 vets who were gunned down in DC for simply marching to get their veterans care.. amazing how we were not taught any of this in public school history...
A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 22:3
Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to
send peace on earth: I came not to send peace,
but a sword.
I was writing about the Soldiers routed by MacArthur long ago
I also wrote a post on the Ludlow Massacre which is important because it not only implicates Rockefeller, but also the manipulation of currency known as 'scrip':
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_massacre
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Glen Beck -- An Exposed Enemy:
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/90198
Glenn Beck Supports NAFTA and taking your job:
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/86643
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Glen Beck -- An Exposed Enemy:
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/90198
Glenn Beck Supports NAFTA and taking your job:
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/86643
The miners had problems with
The miners had problems with scrip though I never realized how close the miners problems were to ours .