Changes

After long hard years of service—most of us were hard-core veterans of World War II—we were used to drinking our liquor and our beer without being molested. When these things happened, the GIs got madder—the more GIs they arrested, the more they beat up, the madder we got …}}

After long hard years of service—most of us were hard-core veterans of World War II—we were used to drinking our liquor and our beer without being molested. When these things happened, the GIs got madder—the more GIs they arrested, the more they beat up, the madder we got …}}

Mansfield's deputies treated black returnees worse. According to one account, the racist Mansfield and his men were gunning down black veterans out of hand. The spectacle of blacks wearing the uniform surely rankled.

Mansfield's deputies treated black returnees worse. According to one account, the racist Mansfield and his men were gunning down black veterans out of hand. The spectacle of blacks wearing the uniform surely rankled the sensibilities of Cantrell, Mansfield and their fellow Democrats.

Beginning early in 1946 the veterans began meeting in secret to decide how to challenge the Cantrell-Mansfield machine at the ballot box. In May they had their own political party. Knox Henry stood for sheriff; four other veterans ran for other county offices. The Veterans’ Party ran on a simple but pointed slogan:

Beginning early in 1946 the veterans began meeting in secret to decide how to challenge the Cantrell-Mansfield machine at the ballot box. In May they had their own political party. Knox Henry stood for sheriff; four other veterans ran for other county offices. The Veterans’ Party ran on a simple but pointed slogan:

{{cquote|It has come to my attention that certain elements intend to create a disturbance at and around the polls. … In order to see that law and order is maintained … I will have several hundred deputies patrolling the county.}}

{{cquote|It has come to my attention that certain elements intend to create a disturbance at and around the polls. … In order to see that law and order is maintained … I will have several hundred deputies patrolling the county.}}

To put matters into perspective, the sheriff had never fielded more than fifteen deputies on election day.

To put matters into perspective, the sheriff had never fielded more than fifteen deputies on election day.  The sudden change in strategy by Mansfield on this particular election day indicated that he felt threatened by the veterans' plans to break the corrupt rule of the Democrat political machine in McMinn County.

== August 1, 1946: the election ==

== August 1, 1946: the election ==