Legion’s Militant Men Foment Chaos at 1924 Republican Convention

It was a hot summer day in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 11, 1924, when the Republican National Convention descended into chaos. The air was thick with tension as American Legion men, known for their militant fervor, rallied behind the candidacy of Major General James G. Harbord as President Calvin Coolidge’s running mate. The Harbord campaign had gained momentum, with the Kansas delegation throwing their support behind the general, pitting him against the favored Herbert Hoover. The convention hall, Municipal Auditorium, reverberated with the sounds of debate and discord as the two camps clashed in a battle for the nomination.