This book is about the Battle of Athens, Tennessee, which occurred in 1946. For 10 years a very corrupt Democrat machine ran McMinn county. The citizens were routinely arrested for no reason and fined $16.50 and $6 of that went to the arresting deputy. The sheriff and deputies also ran a protection racket over gambling and other illegal activities. The deputies could get away with anything, including murder.
Returning GI's, after a few months, formed a political party welcoming honest citizens, and ran for elected positions and on the date of the election (Aug. 1, 1946) the deputies did what they always did and controlled polling places and ballot boxes and the count. The Gi's took exception and armed themselves when the violence and corruption pushed too far and thus the Battle of Athens. Several GI's had been put in jail and the ballot boxes had been taken to jail for 'safekeeping' and counting and this book tells about the people involved and the story including some of the combat stories of the vets. There is a lot of info about the people.
Well worth a read for a little known bit of American history.
Also, you will learn the source of Johnny Cash's song about a boy named Sue.
