Having been evicted from the company towns the moment the strike started, miners set up tent colonies nearby and continued to strike. With the mines closed from the lack of workers, Rockefeller hired the National Guard to destroy the strike. At first, the strikers believed the National Guard was there to protect them and met them with flags and cheers, but they soon discovered the National Guard was there to disband their strike.
On April 19th, the National Guard set encircled the camp and set up machine guns on a nearby bluff. In the morning of April 20th, the National Guard fired the first shot into the camp and continued to shoot for the next ten hours. The strikers fired back, but they soon ran out of ammunition. At this point, many women and children fled to the surrounding countryside if they were able to, and others dug ditches and hid in cellars to hide from the gunfire. At dusk, the National Guard soaked the tents in kerosene and set fire to the entire camp. 11 women and children who hid in a ditch under a tent suffocated and burned to death.One of the strike’s leaders, Louis Tikas, along with other strikers, was lured out to discuss a truce, but was shot to death. Their bodies laid along the Colorado railway tracks for many to see until they were finally taken away for a proper burial.
As a form of retaliation to the massacre in Ludlow, the United Mine Workers issued a call to arms. The miners to stocked up on ammunition and attacked mine after mine, killing around 50 guards over the span of 10 days.
In the end, around 75 people had been killed in total, including guards, miners, and National Guardsmen. Although the miners who went on strike didn’t gain any tangible benefits from their strike, the United Mine Workers of America gained around 4000 members. This ultimately resulted in Rockefeller issuing mandates to improve the working conditions of the miners, such as bettering safety, health, and recreation facilities.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_Massacre
- https://www.britannica.com/event/Ludlow-Massacre
- https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/rockefellers-ludlow/
- https://www.thenation.com/article/why-bloodiest-labor-battle-us-history-matters-today/
After reading your post about this tragedy, I wanted to learn more about the reforms that Rockefeller issued to appease the mine workers. After the massacre, he worked to improve mining towns by adding paved roads, recreational facilities, and committees for workers to voice their needs. He also created a company union, which is a union run by the employer (not independently run) and prevented discrimination based on union involvement. Despite these reforms, the original demands of the strikers were not met and the legitimacy of the UMWA was not recognized. Also, it is important to note that Rockefeller was likely forced to implement some reforms after the massacre because his reputation was tarnished and he was trying to save face.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_Massacre
https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/ludlow-massacre
Your blog did a great job highlighting a massacre that is nearly as current to us today than the First World War. Given this event's proximity to our current generation, I decided research the lasting impacts of the Ludlow Massacre more than a century later. Like mentioned above, John D. Rockefeller Jr. was "crucified" by the general public after this incident, which directly resulted in him launching a reform campaign and a "company union." Nevertheless this seemingly "resolved" problems still sparks conflict today. In addition to the Ludlow Massacre being rarely included in the Colorado school curriculum, there have been vandalizations of the memorial site within the last ten to fifteen years. What is more surprising, however, if that a certain form of the actions that triggered this revolt a century ago is still present today, with medical claims of miners being purposefully withheld by the company lawyers.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.outtherecolorado.com/colorados-ludlow-massacre-death-impact-and-legacy/
https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-ludlow-massacre-still-matters
I did not know much about the Ludlow massacre until I read your blog post. I think you did a great job describing the worker's strikes and Rockefeller's reaction to this uprising by sending the National Guard to disband the strike. I think you described the reasoning behind the protests very well, stating how there were low wages and poor working conditions. As a result of these protests and the massacre by the National Guard, you can also add how Woodrow Wilson sent federal troops to restore order after the chaotic violence; thus, resulting in the end of the fighting.
ReplyDeleteSource - https://www.britannica.com/event/Ludlow-Massacre