1919: Britain's Year of RevolutionThe little-known true story of rioting and rebellion among British veterans and workers after the end of World War I. On the August Bank Holiday of 1919, the government in London dispatched warships to the northern city of Liverpool in an overwhelming show of force. Thousands of troops, backed by tanks, had been trying without success to suppress disorder on the streets. Earlier that year in London, a thousand soldiers had marched on Downing Street before being disarmed by a battalion of the Grenadier Guards loyal to the government. In Luton that summer, the town hall was burned down by rioters before the army was brought in to restore order, and in Glasgow, artillery and tanks were positioned in the center of the city to deter what the secretary of state for Scotland described as a Bolshevik uprising. Industrial unrest and mutiny in the armed forces combined to produce the fear that Britain was facing, the same kind of situation which had led to the Russian Revolution two years earlier. Drawing chiefly upon contemporary sources, this book describes the sequence of events which looked as though they might be the precursor to a revolution along the lines of those sweeping across Europe at that time. To some observers, it seemed only a matter of time before Britain transformed itself from a constitutional monarchy into a Soviet Republic. “An extraordinary tale.” —Battlefield |
Contents
1828 | |
1853 | |
Chapter 4 | 1887 |
The Triple Alliance Flexes its Muscles | 1911 |
Chapter 6 | |
Chapter 7 | |
Chapter 8 | |
Chapter 9 | |
Chapter 10 | |
Chapter 11 | |
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armed forces Armistice arrested arrived August Basil Thomson battle began Belfast Bolshevik Bolshevism Britain British Army Cabinet called Cardiff century charge Churchill’s Citizen Guards command Committee communist conscripted constables crowd death demobilised disorder Downing Street Emmanuel Shinwell fighting fire France Germany Glasgow guns Haig happened Imperial General Staff industrial action January Kinmel Camp Labour large number later leaders Liverpool Lloyd George Lloyd George’s government looting Lord Luton Luton Town Hall Manchester Guardian Metropolitan Police military miners months mutiny navy NUPPO obey orders organised outbreak Parliament peace police officers police station police strike political Prime Minister railway strike railwaymen Red Army refused revolution rioters rioting Russia Scotland Secretary seen sent Sergeant Shinwell Sir Henry Wilson situation Soviet Republic strike action strikers summer of 1919 tanks things threat took place Town Hall trade unions Trenchard Triple Alliance troops trouble unrest Winston Churchill workers World