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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Bowman Gum Company (fl. 1951) Fight the Red Menace: The Children's Crusade against Communism trading cards; 27. Red Guerrillas in Greece

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09627.27 Author/Creator: Bowman Gum Company (fl. 1951) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Trading card Date: 1951 Pagination: 1 collecting card ; 6 x 8 cm. Order a Copy

One trading card from the Red Menace collection, "27. Red Guerrillas in Greece" depicting Greek guerrilla fighters attacking a train from a hillside. Reverse side contains propaganda narrative detailing the "Greek communist guerillas" attempting to overthrow the government for three years. Notes that communists were cowardly if encountering a failure by seeking shelter in an allied country. Refers to Albania "and other Red nations" as arms dealers. Also that they were "subdued with the aid of United States equipment and advice."

The two communist-controlled Greek guerilla forces were known as EAM-ELAS or National Liberation Front-National Popular Liberation Army and EDES or the Greek Democratic National Army. The EAM-ELAS disowned anything related to a Greek monarchy and government. A civil war broke out when the guerrilla forces refused to disband under the management of British military. After the king was returned to the throne, guerrilla warfare began again in 1946. A rebellion lasted until 1949, when the United States supplied the Greek army with arms to battle against the rebels stationed in the mountains. Most rebels ended up fleeing towards Albania.

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