The Fighting Bunch

I am pleased to thank St. Martin's Press for sending me an advance review copy of Chris DeRose's upcoming book entitled "The Fighting Bunch: The Battle of Athens." The book recounts the little known story of an armed uprising that occurred in the city of Athens, Tennessee in 1946. The violence that took place was a consequence of entrenched and widespread political corruption in that city that had gripped both the City and the County from the late 1930's until 1946. The political machine responsible, not surprisingly, had tentacles extending throughout McMinn County and the State of Tennessee. The actual "insurrection" occurred when demobilized G.I.s fresh from the battlefields of World War II returned to their hometown only to discover extreme voter fraud enforced by a corrupt political machine at every level of City and County government. These veterans were determined to enjoy the political freedoms that they had thought they were fighting for and were appalled to see the mess which prevailed in their hometown. The narrative begins by tracking some of the figures prominent in the "revolt" through their military service, and the first half of the book looks at this while recounting events occurring on the homefront unbeknownst to them until their return. It climaxes with an armed confrontation as the veterans took up arms in defense of their civil rights. The events received widespread coverage, both nationally and internationally at the time, but in view of the shameful political mess which had prompted them and everyone's tacit acceptance of the justice of what happened, quickly disappeared from the national consciousness. I recommend the book for anyone looking to explore an occasion in which the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution seems to have been vindicated for precisely the reasons that it was originally enacted. The "insurrection" successfully removed, by force of arms, a politically corrupt system that was so entrenched and tacitly supported by the political powers that be that the people of the community saw no option save armed revolt to restore their civil rights. Remarkably, despite bitter fighting, the "insurrection," far from leaving lasting scars, seems to have accomplished its objectives with relatively little bloodshed and achieved a lasting redress of grievances since the aforementioned "powers that be" had no real interest in publicizing the widespread nature of the corruption which prompted the events related in the text. It is a fascinating tale.

Free ARC from Net Galley

Wonderful, wonderful book!

More true history we have never heard of and I thank you Mr. DeRose for bringing this to the world. Veterans of today could they do something like that or is this stand for liberty only for the past or "greatest" generation?

Behold all you who love the 2nd amendment you better read this, and for those who even argue against it this TRUE history may change your mind. Thank you author and publisher for the truth of America's history

This was an interesting book. In the late 1930s and 1940s, McMinn County, Tennessee, including the town of Athens, was under the control of a corrupt Democrat party political machine (Crump/Cantrell). The local Democrat office-holders, including the county sheriff, as well as his deputies, rigged the elections to ensure the "correct" candidates won and used their power and authority to harass the local residents and pad their bank accounts. On election day, they would arbitrarily close precincts, refuse to count ballots from precincts their candidate had lost in the past, post armed officials outside of precincts, stuff the ballot boxes with fraudulent ballots, engage in absentee ballot fraud, refuse to allow people to vote if they were expected not to vote the "correct" way, harass and beat up election observers who tried to keep the count honest, etc. In between elections, the elected officials abused their power. The sheriff and his deputies would make false arrests and charge the detainees for expenses that never occurred, such as serving warrants, subpoenaing witnesses, and hailing the detainee miles to jail (even if the arrest had occurred a block away from the jail).

The local Congressman, John Jennings, tried to get the Tennessee government and the federal Department of Justice to take action without much success. Lawsuits to force the election laws to be upheld tended to go in the favor the "machine". A group of WWII veterans, having returned home from fighting and defeating Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan to help ensure freedom and democracy around the world, decided they had to take a stand to defend and preserve freedom and democracy in their town. They formed the "GI ticket" and convinced the local Republican party to formally endorse it. They were able to garner lots of support, though much of it was in secret, as the residents of Athens and the surrounding towns did not want to attract the attention of the corrupt, abusive sheriff and his deputies. On the day of the election, August 1, 1946, the GI ticket was winning in those precincts where ballots were counted fairly. However, the "machine" utilized its typical tactics, including bringing in a large number of armed individuals to intimidate voters and ensure the count went the "correct" way. Ultimately, a group of veterans decided to use force to ensure the ballots were counted correctly, leading an assault on the county jail in Athens, where a group of deputies had hidden with some of the ballot boxes. When the ballot boxes were obtained and the ballots openly and accurately counted, the GI ticket won overwhelmingly.

The story of the "Battle of Athens" has been well hidden for decades, as many of the participants did not want to be too open about their activities, not wanting to face possible criminal charges, and the residents of Athens wanted life to return to a semblance of normalcy, with free and fair elections and honest leaders. However, the author was able to locate a considerable amount of material related to the events in Athens, Tennessee, scouring archives and contacting as many of the participants and/or their relatives that he could locate to hear their recollections and obtain any letters, memorabilia or other documents. As a result of his extensive research, the author is able to do a great job of portraying what life was like in Athens and surrounding areas in the last 30s and early to mid 40s, portraying the massive corruption and fraud, discussing the military careers of some of the veterans, and providing details as to what type of people these veterans and their family, friends, and supporters were, as well as their lives after the "battle of Athens." The events made news headlines around the country and provoked responses from some influential people. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt stated in a newspaper column, "We may deplore the use of force but we must also recognize the lesson which this incident points for us all. People must be able to determine their fate at the ballot box in a fair election. Ultimately, Americans would not accept living under tyranny. The decisive action which has just occurred in our midst is a warning, and one which we cannot afford to overlook."

Thankfully, the degree of corruption and abuse perpetrated by the Crump/Cantrell political machine would not be allowed to happen today. However, incidents of intimidation at precincts and incidents of absentee ballot fraud still occur, with the likelihood of such fraud increased in the current political climate, with the high degree of divisiveness and the expected heavy reliance on absentee ballots/voting by mail due to Covid-19, especially in states not adequately prepared to handle the greatly increased volume of absentee voting. While armed revolution will hopefully never again be required to preserve our voting rights and basic liberties, "The Fighting Bunch" is a reminder of the need for vigilance.

I received a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

The war did not stop in 1945 for those in Athens, Tennessee. Several came back from service determined to put a stop to the politicians and big money that controlled their town. An exciting story. Well researched and documented and amazingly true. If you are interested in southern towns and how they took care of problems in those days you will be intrigued by this book. For locals in Tennessee. It is a must-read. An exciting book and the town's political journey and courage of a few returning soldiers to right unjustified wrongs is a part of history now preserved. Thanks to #netgalleyTheFightingBunch for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I've heard this story before, in bits and pieces. Maybe an article in some magazine, a short piece on some television show, regardless, I have heard this story before, except...

This book is comprehensive, but not dry or drawn out. Lots of finer details and background of the actors involved. How the corruption went up to the office of the governor and yet how little Washington could or would do. We see what the GIs when through, the citizens of Athens experiences of war and how that gave them the determination and courage that lead down the road they did. And, what happen after that election day and night.

Thoroughly enjoyable. DeRose brought the details together that made this story, gave it life, believable and full of hope. History buffs should love it. People concern with today’s state of our two-party system will love it too.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If Chris Derose’s The Fighting Bunch were a novel, I probably would have put it down almost as quickly as I picked it up. I would have found the premise of the book to be too farfetched for me to take it seriously, and I would have been unwilling to suspend my level of disbelief to that degree. If nothing else, that shows how naïve I can be about some of the things that happened in America’s s relatively recent past. The book’s subtitle, a long one, says it all: The Battle of Athens and How World War II Veterans Won the Only Successful Armed Rebellion Since the Revolution. But I suspect I’m not the only one who never heard about what happened in Athens, Tennessee, in 1946 after a group of battle-hardened veterans came home and found their county to be completely controlled by one corrupt politician and his gang of criminal-enforcers.

When the bloody battle was all over, the (mostly) young men who fought and won the Battle of Athens began to realize that they might be in big trouble. After all, what they had just done was not exactly legal, so they could very well themselves end up prisoners in the jail they had just liberated from the political machine so determined to rob them of that day’s election victory. Wiser heads in the group convinced the rest that it was time for all of them to shut up about what had just happened in their little Tennessee town. And they did exactly that - even to the extent that their own children and grandchildren were never sure exactly what role their elders played in the armed rebellion.

Chris Derose, when he began The Fighting Bunch, realized that only half the story had ever been told, and he knew that the time left for gathering first-hand accounts of the events of that night was fast running out. Only a handful of men were left to tell the story. Derose, though, found the next best thing: adult children of the men who were willing to share both their own memories and any original papers left behind by their fathers, along with even some of the original acetate recordings of the live radio broadcast by station WROL from that night. As indicated by its dozens of footnotes and an extensive list of interviews, Derose did his homework, and it shows. His account of “the only successful armed rebellion since the Revolution” and the men who pulled it off is fascinating.

Bottom Line: The Fighting Bunch is a rather shocking account of how a group of WWII veterans, men themselves instrumental in assuring the freedom of Europe and the rest of the world, came back to Tennessee to find their own home-county under the thumb of a despicable dictator and the murdering thugs he employed. No one dared oppose the gang - even at first, the veterans themselves - but what happened when the ex-military men reached their breaking-point is a story that readers will find difficult to forget.

A group of American soldiers returns from fighting in World War II and makes a horrifying discovery: their hometown is under siege. Not from Nazis or the Imperial Japanese, however, but corrupt politicians. Determined not to relive the horrors they just fought, the soldiers take matters into their own hands to regain their town. Author Chris DeRose examines in fascinating detail and prescient prose the Battle of Athens, Tennessee, in his new nonfiction book The Fighting Bunch.

In the mid-1930s in McMinn County, Tennessee, a wealthy man decides to join politics. With blustery promises, he wins the election for sheriff. For the next ten years, Paul Cantrell holds the county, and particularly the town of Athens, under his thumb. Gambling and other illegal establishments open and run freely, as long as the kickbacks land in Cantrell’s pockets. If anyone doesn’t like his methods, he makes sure the deputies and his other cronies bring people in line.

For ten years, Cantrell rises through the ranks and is eventually elected senator. He curries favor with other men of like minds at the state level to cement his power. Interested in lining his own wallet and keeping the political climate to his advantage, Cantrell endorses a show of force and the people of McMinn County begin to live in fear.

They’re arrested for fabricated or minor infractions. Elections are openly rigged with fraudulent voting running rampant. Citizens trying to exercise their Constitutional rights are beaten and killed. Anyone who whispers against Cantrell is taught a lesson that often ends in violence.

Athens resident Bill White and his friends, teens during the time of Cantrell’s rule, express their frustration to one another but don’t know how they can fight against what is commonly called the machine. Then the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, and White and many of his friends join U.S. forces overseas. As they engage in active combat, thoughts of home keep them alive. Surely, they believe, after seeing the horrors of war in news reports, things in Athens would have gotten better.

White and his friends return to find exactly the opposite. Cantrell’s hold on the county has only strengthened. The young men, now military trained and wiser in life experience, decide to form their own party and introduce the GI ticket in McMinn County for the upcoming elections. Every person on the ballot is a returning soldier, and the residents of Athens express their support…while still looking over their shoulders for Cantrell’s men.

On August 1, 1946, as White and the others on the GI ticket witness firsthand the theft of ballot boxes and the violent intimidation tactics of Cantrell’s group, they hit a limit. White and other veterans finally take up arms and engage in a shootout that lasts hours. They risked their lives in Europe and Asia to make sure their family and friends could live and vote in a free society; they’re not about to let their war years go to waste by kowtowing to a man too full of himself to think of the greater good.

Author Chris DeRose’s years of interviews and research shine in this enthralling account of the Battle of Athens, sometimes called the Battle of Bullets and Ballots. Cantrell’s brazenness and White’s bravery are by turns heartbreaking and inspiring. While it’s true that White and the other GIs had military training on their side, DeRose reminds readers over and over that the veterans were simply men who believed in a free and equal democracy and were willing to fight for it.

DeRose’s account is especially timely, given current events. His profile of Paul Cantrell, emboldened by other men who also seek personal gain over communal good, rings true enough to life today to feel painful. The book proves that history does repeat itself. The political parties of the offenders may change, but hubris and an inflated sense of one’s importance still lie at the heart of every politician’s downfall.

Anyone wanting to serve their communities in public office would do well to study the mistakes of the past. Chris DeRose’s book makes a great addition to that necessary reading. I recommend readers Bookmark The Fighting Bunch.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

This was an amazing story. I had no idea this sort of bullying and mafiosa behavior had been going on in a small town in Tennessee. Prior to, and during the Second World War, in a place called Athens, Tennessee, people were bullied, controlled and killed at the whim of a self-appointed group of men determined to keep their places as officials in charge. They did so with little or no repercussions as the residents were in fear for their very lives. It became a way of living for ordinary citizens who only wanted to live peacefully.

But as happens in life, the more people have, the more they desire. The mob of officials became more and more powerful and arrogant taking what they wanted without regard to cost. And, again, as happens in life, some people decided enough was enough.

Young men returning from combat as the war ended, began to wonder what was happening in their town. What had they just spent months, even years, fighting for if not freedom? Why did they not have that freedom in their own country? Why were they allowing a select few to control and kill at will?

The seasoned veterans decided it was time to take back their city. The tale of Athens is an inspiring story of courage and determination. It wasn’t easy to step up again. This is a book that is a must read. The characters are real, the history is real and the description of what occurred is breathtaking. I would recommend this book to history buffs and citizens of all interests.

The Fighting Bunch is a exciting piece of a historical story that many have never heard of out know if back in 1946 in Tennessee. I had never hear of this before. The research on this true story is outstanding,exciting and challenging to read. The many men who fought for freedom not only overseas come back home to find this,our country is being taken over. Time to vote,these men have to fight to take back out homes,our country from men who want control. Fantastic reading you will not believe what happened in that state and how they had to band together! Received this from Net Gallery!

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. Athens, Tennessee is located in the southeastern area of the state near the North Carolina border. It is a small town--about 13 square miles, but in 1946 all hell broke loose when a group of World War II (WWII) veterans united to take back their city from the criminals who had been running it for years. Under the questionable leadership, townsfolk experienced police brutality, voter intimidation and extreme political corruption. Officers were getting commissions based on the number of arrests they made; votes were discarded and miscounted; ridiculous salaries were being paid to people who barely, if at all, worked. When a group of young men came home from the war, they got together and wondered what it was they had fought for exactly. These fellows had been in Europe, Japan, northern Africa and other places where they saw horrific action. They all fought for freedom and when they came home, they realized that the city they lived in was far from free. Members of their families were arrested for no reason, threatened at the voting polls, and forced to pay homage to the dictators that ran the place. The former GIs took action and that action resulted in a violent showdown on August 1 and 2, 1946. They used the lessons that they learned in the military and won the fight restoring 'freedom' to their hometown. It really is a fascinating tale. My only complaint about the book was the number of people involved. It was hard to keep track of everyone--the good guys and the bad. Other than that, the story of The Battle of Athens was a fascinating read. Lots of history and lots of action. It also made me think how many other towns in this country were/are similarly run. Its a sad state of affairs when WWII veterans have to take matters in their own hands after coming home from the fight of their lives.

An interesting, engaging read though DeRose struggled a bit with organization in the first half and missed opportunities to question the more problematic parts of this story.

Current conversations about the state of our democracy that have arisen as we've seen Trump's administration pummel norms that have helped our democracy function for the past two hundred fifty years tend to obscure the fact that our democracy- and the norms of its operation- have had a very uneven track record. Besides the obvious fact that our laws have rarely lead to full enfranchisement for all adult citizens; procedural challenges (as outlined in Jill Lepore's 2008 article from The New Yorker) have limited our ability to vote freely. At the time of the Athens Rebellion, which is the focus of The Fighting Bunch, both legal and procedural limitations made it relatively easy for a Democratic political machine to suppress the vote and stuff the ballot boxes, resulting in two decades of corrupt local leadership for this small community in east Tennessee. It is really important to continue to read these stories to learn from the past. It's easy to take our systems for granted, but they require a lot of work to ensure that they're operating safely and fairly for everyone.

DeRose frames the men who violently overthrew this system as heroes. He spends the first half of the book toggling between their war efforts (Bill White's account of Guadalcanal as a marine was particularly harrowing) and the corruption at home, emphasizing the leadership of the soldiers, the risks they took, the hardship they survived, the wounds they suffered- while Cantrell's people stayed at home, ginning up arrests to collect fines, skimming the local budget, and allowing saloons and gambling parlors to operate illegally. This was a really awkward section of the book; DeRose didn't really do much to transition readers from the war front to the home front, and the content would have been better served had he focused on the corruption at home, travelled with the G.I.s to their experiences overseas, then followed the conflict when the G.I.s used those experiences overseas to change the leadership at home.

DeRose makes a decent case that the G.I.s had attempted other, legal means of getting a fair election in a rigged system before raiding the armory and besieging the deputies in the jailhouse, but he never challenges that assumption that it was the right thing to do. The local population supported the G.I.s; the G.I.'s ran the government more fairly than the machine, so...the ends justified the means. But that's a rather alarming position to take in the current climate when the President has said he is not necessarily willing to cede power if he loses the election; when he's supported paramilitary groups who've set up armed counter-demonstrations to anti-racist protests- and we know those groups tend to be pro-Trump. What does this book contribute to our understanding of using violence to gain political control? What is the role of our military (and ex-military) in transfers of power? If the public supports a violent transfer of power, does that make it okay? I would have appreciated a more nuanced discussion of those underlying issues.

This book is an engaging history of the determine needed to overcome a corrupt crime machine that controlled a part of Tennessee with Athens at its center. The author follows several of the main players as they grew up and struggled with their environment, fought in World War II and upon their return fought back successfully again the syndicate to have the liberties for which they had fought for during the war. This is a good book for anyone who likes to see the underdog victorious and corruption removed from office.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

This was a quick read and a wonderful one about a group of WWII veterans fighting abroad for democracy who came home to find that their county was run more like the dictatorships they were battling against than the ideals they were fighting for. What a fascinating story that was largely hidden for decades! The author backs up the story with many primary sources, including some from the people involved in the "Battle of the Ballots."

We are told that if you fail to pay attention to history that we are doomed to relive it. The Fighting Bunch by Chris DeRose reminds us of that. This historical novel reveals the events of the “the Battle of Athens,Tennessee” in which a corrupt politician, Paul Cantrell , who controlled the town and its environs from 1936-1946, was able to continue his rule by subverting the election process through such means as stuffing ballot boxes, using the police to intimidate voters, arresting poll watchers, and taking ballot boxes to guarantee the results are in his favor. This scenario is frighteningly similar to what some people in power predict will happen.
This novel is so relevant. It reveals the struggle of a group of returning veterans to overthrow Cantrell and his cronies. The story goes back and forth between what is happening in Athens and what happens to those six men during their war experiences. At first I found that change in perspective difficult because it seemed to move from one location overseas during battle to Athens. At one point at the end of chapter 11, the story moves from a battle to the description of a band performing in front of the courthouse. That just didn’t work for me because the events in the battle were so tense . The two scenes did not correlate. Perhaps the writer could have kept the war experiences in separate chapters or perhaps remove the band reference because Chris DeRose had been building a narrative about the corruption in Athens being just as disturbing as the global war events and culminating in the fighting in Athens.
Overall, though, this novel is engrossing. I learned a lot about various battles in the Pacific Theater. The author’s descriptions are vivid and draw t reader into the action. I enjoyed reading this book although its timeliness is alarming. I have already been encouraging friends to read it once it is available to the public. Again, it is urgent that we take the lessons of history seriously and hopefully avoid repeating them.

DeRose's well-researched and well-presented account of how a group of veterans ended the tyranny of corrupt politicians in Athens, Tennessee is as relevant now as it would have been in the 30s and 40s when it took place. When those elected to serve the community only serve themselves, the people must rise. This book brings to light a little-known piece of American history.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

Simply Excellent! 1930's-40's Athens, Tennessee was in the grip of a corrupt political machine. Repeated efforts and requests were made to the US Government to stop the overwhelming voter fraud and intimidation, with absolutely no results. WWII veterans from all branches came home to find their home town still being terrorized and intimidated by corrupt officials. In addition to very well documented accounts of corruption and violence, this is the inspiring story of the veterans - their WWII exploits, and on their return, how they banded together to save their town. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc. Highly recommend! 4.5 stars

An entertaining history of an armed rebellion of American GIs against a crooked political regime in EasternTennessee. The town, led by young men recently returned from the battlefield in WWII, took up arms to insure a fair election.
The best part of the book is the end. Rather than gloating over their success, the GIs took positions in public service and made peace in the town. The enemies became friends and moved on.
This true story is almost like fiction. The storyline moves well, although it is hard to keep up with the characters at times. It also seems unreal that the uprising is accepted rather than forcefully put down by government forces. It is not a narrative that could be repeated.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good, well written true story about local politics in Athens, Tennessee in 1945 - 1946 . The author discusses the political background of the area, including the corrupt, political machine. It then discusses the young men from the area that went off to war, their return to Athens and how they addressed the corruption. The book reads like a novel, very cinematic - should be made into a movie. I plan on keeping my eye out for any stories written by Mr. DeRose.

The Fighting Bunch by Chris DeRose is an interesting bit of history that’s fascinating yet probably unknown to most. This is a story that was hidden to protect those who had taken part. The Fighting Bunch is a true story that is almost like fiction. The storyline moves well, although it is hard to keep up with the characters at times.

This is about the battle Athens. Not Greece, but Tennessee.

It's depressingly timely, as a bunch of crooked politicians do their damndest to control the local elections by various criminal means, including threat and violence against voters.

For a bunch of GIs returning from World War II, the war didn't stop, it just shifted to a different type of war, against the political machine controlling the local county. The young veterans, experienced in the war theater, formed their own party and introduced the GI ticket for the upcoming elections. Every person on the ballot was a veteran.

The residents of Athens hailed them with relief, but many with an equal or stronger fear that they couldn't win against a crook who was expert in lying, threatening, and manipulating to stay in power.

The vets witnessed firsthand the theft of ballot boxes, and the threats and intimidation carried out by the thugs working for the crooked politicians, culminating in a shootout at the local jail, where deputies on the payroll of the crooks hid with ballot boxes.

The showdown lasted for hours, but they won, clearing the way for free and honest elections in their county.

It's briskly told, and very well researched--the evidence of firsthand accounts is evident, adding to the color of the story.

The first half is mostly summary, both of the veterans' various experiences in the war (some of those could have made their own books) and an account of the rise of the political machine in Tennessee.

I would have liked more detail on the culminating battle at the jail, though the author seemed to be limited in actual fact, and kudos for not giving in to the temptation to plump things up by fictionalizing. Altogether an interesting account, and alas, so very timely.

If you want to know what the Greatest Generation, in their youth and idealism, went to war for, it was NOT the enshrinement of a single point of view as the only acceptable one to express and uphold.
More is said at my blog: https://tinyurl.com/y5sjlhex

I think it would be a good thing if this book were required reading for all politicians, both before they take office and after they've been in office a year to remind them who they work for. I had never heard of this incident before which doesn't surprise me. History that goes against conventional wisdom is seldom celebrated.

A group of WWII veterans returning to their homes in Athens, Tennessee utilize their hard won fighting skills to take their town back from corrupt politicians that extended from their local "good ole boys" all the way to the governor's mansion. The corruption had been in place for generations, gaining strength until they controlled every inch of the county and city. But these veterans had had enough.

I absolutely loved this book. The details leading up to and after the uprising set the stage perfectly for the readers to see through the eyes of these young men and make the same decision they did....we're not going to take it any longer.

This is the account of the most incredible thing I have read in a long time. Athens and McMinn County, Tennessee, were so corrupt in the 1930s and 40s that a group of veterans returning from WWII determined to take it back and make it clean. They finally determined that they only way to do it was with armed conflict.

I had never heard anything about this. The corruption was bad. Elections were stolen blatantly. Laws were made or used to the benefit of the people in charge.

The GIs decided to run a slate of good government candidates and make sure that the votes were counted accurately. A group said that, since the crooks did it with guns, they would too, if necessary.

This is well researched, especially for something done so far after the fact. I was impressed with how detailed it was. It flowed well and was easy to read. I found myself rooting for the GIs and appalled at how the so-called public servants were taking the citizens for a ride.

If you want to read about a story of citizens taking action to bring about good government, this could be it.

This is a true story about what was named "The Battle of Athens" that took place in Athens, Tennessee in 1946. A group of WWII veterans decided to take things into their own hands to fight corruption in their town after coming back home. It is an interesting story that is perfect to read right now that will also give you hope.

I'm sure not many of us have heard this bit of US History.
Quite an eye-opener how corrupt the politicians were in Athens, TN from 1936 to 1946 when the GI's settling in their hometown after returning from fighting during World War II decided to take the future in their own hands. Amazing that nobody got killed in the process. They also realized that once it was over they had to act like nothing happened and forget all about it in order for the area to survive without hatred.
The book went into a bit more details about the war experiences of the GI’s then I would have liked but it did help to understand them that each had fought for the freedom from Nazi Germany and Japan that they would not put up with a terrorizing regime at home. Hopeful this kind of situation will never happen again but this book is maybe available at the proper time when US elections have divided this country in two and police brutality happens a little more than it should. Maybe a strong independent party might shake up our two party system government at one point.

As someone who takes great pride in their reading abilities, I nearly missed out on this fantastic book because I DIDN'T FULLY READ THE SUBTITLE.

I know, right?

When I receive the email from St Martin's Press inviting me to read the book, I saw 'The Battle of Athens' and my mind immediately went to Greece. I assumed it would have something to do with Greece's civil war that erupted in 1946, and that was not something I had much interest in. The book cover showed up rather small in the email as well, so I could not clearly see the cover.

THANK GOODNESS I CHECKED GOODREADS BEFORE DECIDING YAY OR NAY.

Turns out, this book is fucking brilliant and I am so glad I did not pass up the chance to read it.

DeRose has crafted a masterpiece that details little-known events in Athens, Tennessee. To say that local government officials in McGinn County were corrupt would be putting it mildly. The political machine hard at work in Tennessee did everything possible to ensure that their candidates remained in power. Voter intimidation was a constant, ballot box stuffing was the norm, and anyone who spoke out against it regretted their decision pretty quickly.

One can see then why returning WWII veterans might take offense to this chicanery and blatant law-breaking. These men fought in the worst of conditions all over Europe and the Pacific, only to return home to find their own local governments were not abiding by the very rules and laws set down by our founders. They could not abide this.

The non-partisan GI all-veteran ticket would make sure that Election Day, 1946 (August 1st) would be the dawning of a new era in politics in McGinn County. Naturally those in power had no intention of giving up their voter-intimidating, voter fraud-committing ways without a fight.

A fight is certainly what they got, as the literal battle waged long into the night, carrying over into the early hours of August 2nd before finally wearing itself out.

What occurred prior to that ending is one of the craziest stories I have ever read, and I am so glad that DeRose has brought these heroes into the light where they belong. Once I began reading, I could not put the book down.

As Election Day wore on, the GIs realized that they were not going to get a fair vote, no matter how much they lobbied for things to be done the right way. Polling places were randomly closed, ballot boxes were hidden from view when the counting began, and the all-veteran ticket found themselves and their supporters under assault in some instances. They were arrested, voter intimidation went on like crazy, and a few voters were shot. A small band of veterans decided to take matters into their own hands. Called the Fighting Bunch, this group took up arms and headed to the heart of the ballot-counting, to the town's jail. They demanded a fair and honest count and were immediately rebuffed. The Sheriff and his deputies refused. The battle was on.

It is a miracle that despite the battle waging on for hours as gunfire ricocheted off buildings downtown, not a single person was killed when things finally came to an end. Instead of gloating about their victory, the GIs and the Fighting Bunch in particular realized they might be in some major trouble. After all, they had just lead an armed rebellion that put dozens of people in danger. Criminal charges were possible, and would not have been a surprise. So, instead of glad-handing and celebrating in the streets, the young war-weary men quickly blended back into the crowds of citizens and the incident was rarely spoke of again. In fact, many children didn't even know their fathers had taken part in the event that they had heard whispers and bits and pieces of their entire lives. The veterans had accomplished their goal - a free and fair election. They could return their town and county to respectability again.

Had DeRose not undertaken this project when he did, the truth of that night might really have been lost forever. He conducted extensive interviews with those related to the men who fought just as valiantly for their town as they had their country in the years before. Few witnesses are left, making this book all the more crucial. Many artifacts also helped paint the picture, including radio broadcasts from that evening, previously recorded interviews, journals, letters, and more. It seems that for once, the second amendment did exactly as it was intended - saved democracy in this section of the country.

To be clear, those opposed to the corrupt government of Athens and McGinn County, lead by Boss Crump out of Memphis and Sheriff Paul Cantrell right there in town, tried to call attention to what had been happening for years. Cantrell and his deputies (some of whom were known murderers/criminals, deputized at certain times to 'help out') made sure that their party would always come out on top. Elections were rigged so their candidates won by large margins often - a feat almost unimaginable seeing as how there often ended up being far more votes cast for one of their men than there were eligible voters. They randomly closed polling places with no warning, harassed those who did not vote the way they wanted, threatened voters who asked (as was their right) to witness the vote-counting, and were not above assault and even murder. The corruption extended far beyond election day however, as the elected officials made sure to line their own pockets, as well as the pockets of the men above them that they owed their positions to. the sheriff and deputies often made false arrests and charged the supposed offenders exorbitant sums of money. They also targeted tourists and those passing through. Word got around rather quickly that it would be best to by-pass Athens altogether whenever possible, and in general to just stay out of McGinn County.

This is a fascinatingly comprehensive look at the lives of those involved and the events leading up to that fateful day where a group of residents decided that enough was enough. They would not live in fear, and they would make sure that every vote was counted as it was cast. This is a story of courage, grit, and determination. These men had spent significant portions of their young lives fighting in a war on the other side of the world, only to come home and find there was more fighting to be done.

DeRose is thorough in his research, including scores of footnotes (we all know I LOVE footnotes) and plenty of sources for further perusal. He truly brought this story to life and this is as timely as ever here on the eve of what I believe will be one of the ugliest elections in our nation's history.

I already have two people I will be giving this book to for Christmas. I can not recommend it highly enough. This is a must-read.

A very interesting story about a period of time that I was not aware of. I have not read a story by this author before, but it was an engaging read and kept me interested in the story.

I received a free ARC of this excellent history at the invitation of the publisher, St. Martin's Press, the author Chris DeRose, and Netgalley. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me, I have read this work of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. This history is set up and rounded up enticingly, a hard book to set aside when necessary, and at times it seems nearly impossible to have transpired on our soil in the mid-1940's, but it did and can again. I sure am glad these fellows were on OUR side. The way things are going post-election in 2020, I hope those folk, similarly inclined, are out there, again on our side.

“The Fighting Bunch” is a compelling yet little known piece of history, regarding an armed rebellion that took place in Athens, Tennessee in 1946. Local politics had become so corrupt that it affected every level of government, disenfranchising local voters and all but stripping them of civil rights. Demobilized GIs returning from the battlefields of World War II took a stand, making their own local political party and ultimately resorting to armed resistance to defend democracy at home just as they had done abroad.

DeRose has written a fabulously well-researched book here, fascinating and in depth without being dry, as sometimes occurs with history. Unprecedented access to first hand sources makes “The Fighting Bunch” really stand out. What I found so compelling about this book was not just that what DeRose outlined really took place - I had never thought something like this would happen on American soil - but that it is so timely with the current political climate in America. We deal today with voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and corruption; the legitimacy of elections are being called into question, the prevailing political party will stop at nothing to hold onto their power…It’s all too real, and truly I think we all as citizens of this nation could take a few tips from the GIs in Athens, Tennessee in terms of defending not only our rights but those of our neighbors.

A fascinating book I would recommend to any interested in domestic political history.

This is a pretty remarkable story that I had never heard about before. War veterans came home to a corrupt political system and fought to restore power to the people. What an incredible story this is and it blows my mind that I had never heard of this before.

These guys held an armed rebellion in our country to restore the broken system. Did you get that? An armed rebellion against the government on US soil after WWII. I've been a history buff since high school and I never once had heard about this before.

It is a truly remarkable story and these guys are heroes for standing up for what is right against a corrupt system.

5 Stars, you need to read this book, it is incredible.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review.

This was a nice little slice of American history that is definitely not widely known, at least I had never heard of this. In the little town of Athens, TN, halfway between Chattanooga and Memphis, there resides a tight knit community. These are people who have lived there for generations, and everyone knows everyone else. There is also rampant political corruption. Seriously, my mind was blown at the amount of corruption, and the fact they weren't even trying to hide it. It starts with the 1936 elections. Paul Cantrell bullies and buys his way into a local office. I can't remember exactly which one, as he ends up holding multiple over a 10 year span. He then brings all his bully buddies with him along for the ride. The townsfolk end up living in a state of constant fear. Business owners have to pay for protection, illegal gambling halls and moonshiners are free to do whatever they please. Election days are the worst though. People are arrested for "voting wrong", the ballots are stuffed, or changed, people are held at gun point (!) as they vote. It seems to get worse after many of the men are called off to fight in the war. We follow a few of them, but especially Bill White, as they fight to defend freedom overseas only to arrive home to see their freedoms gone. The vets decide to create a GI ballot and take back the town, and boy do they ever utilize those combat skills. It was quite a wild ride, with a happy ending. I think the author did a great job in terms of all the research, and overall flow of the story. My only issue was that some chapters would start in TN and then jump to a soldier for a paragraph and that would be the end. So parts were slightly choppy for me but overall I really enjoyed learning about this little rebellion and the men that took down a huge political machine.

While men were going off to war (though many were under 21 and couldn't vote) the people of Athens Tennessee's McMinn County lived under a totalitarian style government. People were intimidated into not voting, but that didn't matter because the local gangsters counted the ballots and stuffed the ballot boxes for their candidates. People were stopped in their cars and forced to pay off the deputies to NOT put them in jail. Deputies were known to beat up people (some hospitalized) just for the fun of it and shot those who disagreed with the Mayor or Chief of Police.

This was a patriotic community and almost everyone of the 18K inhabitants had one of more men in the services, some had as many as five. So while overseas fighting the Japanese and Germans, their families lived under a regime that would have made Hitler of Stalin proud. When these men came home, they heard the stories of beatings, embezzlement and extortion. They decided to take on this group head-on. They formed the GI ticket for office.

After picking a slate of people to run for office, they and their families were beginning to be intimidated by the local deputies for non existing violations. They had to pay and poll tax at the voting had to show a receipt for the tax payment. The deputies would tear them up an tell them the couldn't vote. On election day all the voting precincts were 'protected' by armed thugs hired by the Mayor and his crew.

After a day of total voter intimidation, the Mayor had all the ballot boxes taken to the government offices, his bank vault and the jailhouse. Members of the GI party poll watchers were held hostage to keep them from watching the count. They saw the electors counting marked ballots for the GIs being called for the Mayor, and piles of ballots added into the total brought in by Deputies. The GIs decided to fight fire with fire.

So began what was called the Battle of the Ballots, in August 1946. You'll have to read the rest yourself, but after it was over, no one in the town wanted to speak about it and for over 50 years no one spoke. Kids grew up in this town who never heard what their fathers and families had done. Now the story is told.

The Fighting Bunch by Chris DeRose

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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Story Notes

This book is so apropos for our time. Daily, we see similar situations played out before us and so many are choosing to ignore what is happening. If more people read this true story and learned from these brave individuals, their eyes would be opened to those who seek power at the cost of others freedom and lives. I loved learning about these people and their courage to stand up for others. They had just given their country their time and energy and then came home to ensure what they fought for was not being taken away again. I'm not usually a big autobiography reader but those like this one give me a chance to see real happenings of the past that can encourage me to be a better person. I really liked how it was told from many perspectives so that there were no details missed. Each person added more depth to the story and increased the angst I felt for these in such a terrible situation. Their fight was honest but brutal and they did everything necessary to ensure that every voice was heard and give credence. I will certainly be recommending this book to others and hope that they will read and learn about such incredible history. Well done, Mr. DeRose!

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

4.5 stars
An eye opening, informative read. The Fighting Bunch is a comprehensive account of what took place and I found it was well written and delivered. I would recommend this book and author.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Driving down I-75, you may pass a place called Athens Tennessee. You could be forgiven for not knowing that a monumental battle took place here, a David vs Goliath event, when the little guys took on the powerful and prevailed. It has all the excitement and intrigue of a Hollywood movie but it is all true.

In this case, the citizens of Athens took on the political machine that ruled every aspect of their lives. The larceny and avarice were but the tip of the iceberg. For years, people could be fined, arrested, beaten and even killed for committing whatever crime the particular police officer chose to dream up. People resigned themselves to the reality that it would be futile to fight back. But then something happened. The WWII veterans who had fought in both the European and Pacific theatres for democracy, returned home to find there was no democracy. Before long, they decided enough was enough. They set out to beat the machine legally, at the polls, and they would have won but on Election Day in 1946, the corrupt and powerful swooped in to deny them their victory.

Watchers at polls were held hostage, ballot boxes were stolen, polls were closed and people were beaten when they tried to exercise their right to vote. It looked like the bad guys were going to prevail and then something magical happened. These GI fought back. And these guys knew how to do it. They were hardened battle veterans. By the time the smoke had cleared, the ballots were freed and when the legitimate count was made, they swept into office. The thugs brought in to thwart the election were sent packing but rather than celebrate their victory, the GI’s did not advertise their feats. They may have skimmed close to the legal line and did not want to risk their freedom.

Once the initial press died down, the story lay dormant until the author did the research and wrote this exciting and inspiring book. Kudos to the Fighting Bunch and kudos to the author for telling their story.

Five purrs and two paws up.

"The only successful armed rebellion on US soil since the American Revolution"--if that makes you say, "Wait, what?" then this book is for you. Political corruption in local government and police came to a head in Athens, Tennessee after WWII, and a group of GIs had to take matters into their own hands. Then they mostly avoided talking about it for the rest of their lives, leading the author down many rabbit holes to try to find out what really happened. The book could have used a bit more structural editing, but the story is very much worth knowing.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

Chris DeRose tells the story of an actual battle to free ballot boxes from a corrupt county government just after World War Two. Athens Tennessee was in the grip of a political machine who used armed sheriffs deputies to seize and stuff ballot boxes, ensuring dominance of the county government. When the veterans returned from defending democracy in Europe and the Pacific they were faced with harassment by serifs deputies who bullied residents for years with impunity. In the election of August 1946 they took things into their own hands. This story could never be properly told until now.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The incredible, untold story of the WWII veterans who destroyed a corrupt political machine―the only successful armed rebellion on US soil since the War of Independence.

They fought for freedom abroad and returned to find that they had lost it at home. A corrupt political machine was in charge, kept in power by violence and stolen elections - the worst allegations of vote fraud ever brought to the attention of the Department of Justice, according to the Attorney General.

The GIs formed a nonpartisan, all-veteran ticket. On Election Day, the GIs and their supporters found themselves assaulted, intimidated, arrested, and even shot. A small band of veterans - the Fighting Bunch - armed themselves and marched on the jail to demand an honest count. The sheriff and his men refused. These men who thought they had seen the last of war returned to the battlefield, one last time.

This episode in U.S. history has never been more relevant, but has never been fully told. At the time of the rebellion, national news outlets jammed the phone lines into town, asking questions before the shooting had stopped. Journalists beat a path to Athens from across the country. Hollywood came calling, but the people of McMinn County had moved on.

After years of research, including exclusive interviews with the remaining witnesses, archival radio broadcast and interview tapes, scrapbooks, letters, and diaries, author Chris DeRose has reconstructed one of the seminal―yet untold―events in American election history. (less)

The young men of McMinn County, Tennessee, are coming home after fighting in World War II. But the disturbing scenes they find upon their return surpass even the outrageous tales they've been told by family and friends. The deep corruption of the Machine running things in the town of Athens, Tennessee, and across the county extends through the police force, the judicial system, and local elections and voting. Nothing happens unless the Machine okays it, profits by it, and assigns the people in charge of it.


But the brave GIs didn't survive years of brutal battles and ensure returning in a much-anticipated homecoming in order to see their loved ones pushed around by swaggering, greedy, corrupt men who think they're untouchable. If there's a way to end the reign of the wide-reaching Machine, these are just the clever, fearless, determined citizens to do it.

I was completely taken with the compelling story of the spunky main players; the shockingly blatant, pervasive cheating and stealing by those in office locally and across the state; and the way the story unfolded to its crisis point. (And that's before I realized that friends of ours are from Athens, which added a layer to the legendary story for me.)

Have you read this book? Had you ever heard of this story? I couldn't get over the facts of the situation--and this was my middle-of-the-night book, so my constantly astounded reactions didn't exactly help me get back to sleep.

I received a prepublication copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Fighting Bunch: The Battle of Athens and How World War II Veterans Won the Only Successful Armed Rebellion Since the Revolution is fascinating to read. Five stars.

True story of WW2 soldiers who fought for freedom and came home to find anything and had to fight for freedom and democracy in their East Tennessee hometown. Good story and character descriptions.