Sep 27, 2023, 11:00 AM

The Battle of Athens is one of the most compelling and dramatic but least-studied events in American history. In 1946 veterans from World War 2 returned to their community in Tennessee to find it overrun with political corruption, shakedowns, and election fraud. The veterans ran their own slate of candidates to put a stop to it. But when the political machine attempted to count ballots in secret by hiding the votes in the local jail, the veterans laid siege. A fierce struggle ensued with hails of gunfire exchanged between the veterans and police which only ended by a dynamiting of the building and the government's surrender. The veterans prevailed and destroyed the political machine which had plagued the town for years. 77 years later and a festival has emerged which commemorates the event and draws thousands to the small town to celebrate the victory. But not everyone in the town is pleased with the event, and those who still remember and who were on the other side of the conflict have a different story to tell.

https://www.givesendgo.com/bleedamerican