The Wobblies in Their Heyday

During World War I, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) rose to prominence as an effective, militant union and then was destroyed by a devastating campaign of repression launched by the federal government. Eric Thomas Chester's The Wobblies in Their Heyday documents the rise and fall of this important industrial labor organization. The Industrial Workers of the World--or "Wobblies," as they were known--included legendary figures from U.S. labor history. Joe Hill, "Big Bill" Haywood, and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn have become a part of American popular folklore. In his new book, Chester shows just how dynamic a force the IWW was in its heyday during World War I, and how determined the federal government was to crush this union--a campaign of repression that remains unique in U.S. history. This work utilizes a wide array of archival sources, many of them never used before, thereby giving readers a clearer view and better understanding of what actually happened.