Video: 'Rail Strike Paralyzes America; Ike in Far East 1946/5/23'

(Thursday, May 23, 1946, 4:00 p.m. EST; during the Strike wave of 1945–46) — A countrywide railroad strike, which if prolonged may cripple the national economy and affect the life of every citizen, went into effect today as thousands of railroad workers walked off of their jobs.

By 7:00 p.m. EST, the 227,000 miles of American railroads were tied up. In addition to the halt of freight shipments, millions of travelers were stranded in what was described as “the most crippling work stoppage the nation ever suffered.”

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