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The trials received national attention, thanks in large part to the ''Song for Bridges'' written and sung by [[Woody Guthrie]], Lee Hays, [[Pete Seeger]], and Millard Lampell.
The trials received national attention, thanks in large part to the ''Song for Bridges'' written and sung by [[Woody Guthrie]], Lee Hays, [[Pete Seeger]], and Millard Lampell.
Emory University historian and political scientist Harvey Klehr in a book he co-edited, ''The Secret World of American Communism ''(Yale University Press, 1995), reveals that documentation from the archives of the fallen Soviet Union identifies Bridges not only as a member of the [[Communist Party USA]] but also as a clandestine member of the CPUSA’s Central Committee.
"Bridges," said Marxist-turned-conservative [[David Horowitz]], "was a member of the Central Committee of the American Communist Party, a [[perjurer]], a lifelong servant of the greatest [[mass murderer]] in human history and a sworn enemy of the [[United States]].”
While claiming not to be a Communist Party member loyal to [[Moscow]], Harry Bridges led his Longshoremen union to do everything that Communist Party apparatchiks would do. In 1936, he ordered his workers not to load shipments of scrap metal sold to [[Japan]]. Japan at the time was at peace with the United States, but its [[fascist]] troops in [[Manchuria]] were a barrier to the Soviet empire's expansion in the Far East.
While [[Hitler]]’s Germany had a peace treaty with the [[Soviet Union]], Bridges refused to expedite FDR’s shipments of military supplies to Great Britain. But the moment Hitler attacked the Soviet Union, Bridges mobilized his workers to set productivity records speeding the flow of goods to those opposing Nazi Germany. Bridges also attacked other unions’ workers who threatened strikes or work slowdowns to get higher wages when this might reduce the flow of goods to those on the Soviet side of the conflict.
Bridges became a U.S. citizen in 1945. Under Bridges' leadership the ILWU continued to grow in size and influence, and took an active stand against the [[Korean war]] and [[Vietnam war]].
Bridges became a U.S. citizen in 1945. Under Bridges' leadership the ILWU continued to grow in size and influence, and took an active stand against the [[Korean war]] and [[Vietnam war]].