Since the Cold War, most historians have set up an opposition between the 'American' and 'international' aspects of early American Communism. This book examines the development of the Communist Party in its first decade, from 1919 to 1929. Using the archives of the Communist International, this book, in contrast to previous studies, argues that the International played an important role in the early part of this decade in forcing the party to 'Americanise'. It is the most detailed account now available on this subject.