Reaction

The 1960s and 70s were the height of The John Birch Society’s power. But just as their ideological beliefs were becoming increasingly mainstream, financial woes and internal division eroded the Society’s standing. But far from disappearing, the organization's legacy can be found everywhere in modern politics. 

What would be the shape of the John Birch Society? And how would they be received by the public? When Robert Welch’s inflammatory remarks go mainstream, the Society receives a barrage of criticism, causing a schism in the conservative movement.

The Eisenhower administration, second Red Scare, and loss of Korea further radicalized Robert Welch, and the John Birch Society was born. But a scandal rocked the early days of the Society and created a rift in the conservative movement.

Conspiracy is deeply rooted in the human psyche. This series examines one of the most conspiratorial organizations of the 20th century. Starting with the early life and philosophy of its founder, Robert Welch, let's dive into the turbulent world that gave rise to The John Birch Society. 

The Wobblies get their day in court, but the odds are stacked against them. Elmer Smith devotes his life to the cause of labor and justice, at great expense to his health and his family. The legacy of the Centralia Tragedy is debated to this very day. 

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Centralia was a powder keg, the union hall a fuse, and the Armistice Day Parade a lit match. An attorney’s advice and the resolve of a few loggers to not back down leads to spectacular violence that sends shock waves throughout the region.

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Hostilities between the working class and business class of Centralia have been brewing for years. Wobblies have been run out of town several times, but they are nothing if not persistent. The establishment of a new union hall in the summer of 1919 has the elites of Centralia determined to stomp out IWWism once and for all. 

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The Pacific Northwest is a lumber magnate’s dream: high-quality wood in quantities one can only imagine and cheap, easily exploited labor to harvest it. But a pesky bunch calling themselves Wobblies has taken root in the region, and their presence is creating a disobedient and un-American workforce. 

After Reagan, Phyllis had a tough time finding the right leader to champion the conservative cause. The Republican establishment handed them loser after loser, elites who were totally out of touch with the grassroots of the party. After eight years of Obama, during which atheistic socialism threatened the American way of life, Phyllis Schlafly knew it was time to bring real change to the presidency—and she paid a heavy price for it.

The election of Ronald Reagan may have been a huge victory for conservatives, but that doesn’t mean Phyllis got comfortable. She continued to push for an increasingly conservative agenda on everything from prayer in schools to judicial activism to abortion. All the while, her Eagle Forum grew and her activist network widened its purview from the ERA to all things family values. Reagan broke the mold and set a new standard for conservatism, one that Schlafly would use to judge all future Republican leaders. 

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