Today apparently marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of Athens, Tennessee - an armed insurrection led by former GI's against McMinn county that... won? What exactly happened in the aftermath? How were the "rebels" able to get off essentially scot-free?

by Wellzzer01
retailguypdx

This is absolutely fascinating, and (hoping I am not breaking any rules here), I have a couple questions to add:

  1. Given the (relatively) profound socioeconomic shifts that occurred during WWII (women in manufacturing jobs, African Americans in new roles, etc.), how common was the bond of veteran-ship over politics? The fact that the veterans apparently launched a slate of candidates matching the dem-rep split of the area is fascinating!

  2. This was 1946, and I can't imagine that "states' rights" were enjoying a high-point in popularity post-WWII and with Truman as President. Why didn't the federal government intervene?

  3. During the "battle," was there any reference to the Bonus Army and the rights of veterans?

  4. Are there any non-US examples of where veterans of a national army created an "insurrection" at a local level? And if so, were there any explicit parallels drawn during the Athens incident?

Thanks in advance.