A Terrible Anger: The 1934 Waterfront and General Strikes in San Francisco

In the endless struggle of American workers for recognition and respect in modern industrial society, the Pacific Coast maritime strike and the San Francisco General Strikes in 1934 stand as crucial and symbolic events. The strikes released the long-simmering rage against anti-unionism that had until then shielded the nation's great industries from worker's demands.In A Terrible Anger, David F. Selvin presents a narrative history of the strikes. Unlike other labor historians who have stressed the importance of radical groups involved in the strikes, he addresses the impact on unions, owners, government, and the daily press. Relying on primary sources and critical commentary, as well as personal recollection (Selvin was a witness to the strikes), he reconstructs the tactics, strategies, policies, and programs that gave the strikes their real and enduring significance. In doing so, he brings to life an important chapter in U.S. labor history.