Roosevelt Vs Leuchtenburg
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal 1932-1940. by William E. Leuchtenburg. Harper & Row, 1963.
The Great Depression created a political landscape in the United States that demanded bold action, calling forth people ready and willing to challenge the conventional establishment and allowing them to thrive. Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the prime example of how adversity creates a forging ground were dynamic individuals shape history. In his book Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal Leuchtenburg meticulously describes how Roosevelt changed American during his first two terms and cast some light on why he was the one to succeed in holding the great responsibility of steering the country through the depression without blind praise or unjustified criticism. The author, William E. Leuchtenburg, was born in the early 1920s, therefore was old enough to remember the atmosphere in which the New …show more content…
Leuchtenburg describes “The Hundred Days” were the new president rushed to try to turn the country around with a flood of new legislation and bold acquisition of executive power. He does a good job at pointing out how some legislation, such as the emergency banking bill, passed with little opposition and how other legislation was shaped by opposition or, in the case of the NRA, was generated to curb legislation Roosevelt didn’t favor. Successes and failures are pointed out proportionally and the reasons behind the fate of much of the Roosevelt administrations actions is often speculated on in a well informed and unbiased manner. After much about legislation and policy Leuchtenburg moves to describing those who would challenge Roosevelt and how they shaped Roosevelt’s policies. The introduction of new conflicts here seemed to add a renewed sense of urgency to the book which, along with the extravagance and extremist views of characters such as Hugh Long, managed to renew the pace of the
The Great Depression created a political landscape in the United States that demanded bold action, calling forth people ready and willing to challenge the conventional establishment and allowing them to thrive. Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the prime example of how adversity creates a forging ground were dynamic individuals shape history. In his book Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal Leuchtenburg meticulously describes how Roosevelt changed American during his first two terms and cast some light on why he was the one to succeed in holding the great responsibility of steering the country through the depression without blind praise or unjustified criticism. The author, William E. Leuchtenburg, was born in the early 1920s, therefore was old enough to remember the atmosphere in which the New …show more content…
Leuchtenburg describes “The Hundred Days” were the new president rushed to try to turn the country around with a flood of new legislation and bold acquisition of executive power. He does a good job at pointing out how some legislation, such as the emergency banking bill, passed with little opposition and how other legislation was shaped by opposition or, in the case of the NRA, was generated to curb legislation Roosevelt didn’t favor. Successes and failures are pointed out proportionally and the reasons behind the fate of much of the Roosevelt administrations actions is often speculated on in a well informed and unbiased manner. After much about legislation and policy Leuchtenburg moves to describing those who would challenge Roosevelt and how they shaped Roosevelt’s policies. The introduction of new conflicts here seemed to add a renewed sense of urgency to the book which, along with the extravagance and extremist views of characters such as Hugh Long, managed to renew the pace of the