World War Two

The Great Depression and World War II.

National Stress was a huge influence on two major events that occurred in history, The Great Depression and World War II. What lead the nation into this stress was a number of things including investing poorly by sending money to Europe after WWI and the five industries slowly decreasing in economical production. Due to the fact that approximately thirteen million Americans did not have jobs, people started making their clothes instead of buying them and sharing recipes using the cheapest and most usable ingredients for families.

The Great Depression was the longest, deepest, and most pervasive depression in American history, lasted from 1929 to 1939. Its effects were felt in virtually all corners of the world. After nearly a decade of optimism and prosperity, the United States was thrown into despair on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the day the stock market crashed and the official beginning of the Great Depression. During the Great Depression, millions of people were out of work across the United States. Unable to find another job locally, many unemployed people hit the road, traveling from place to place, hoping to find some work. A few of these people had cars, but most hitchhiked or "rode the rails." When there was a job opening, there were often literally a thousand people applying for the same job. When the U.S. economy broke down and entered the Great Depression was during the presidency of Herbert Hoover. Although President Hoover repeatedly spoke in hope, the people blamed him for the Great Depression. During the 1932 presidential election, Herbert Hoover did not stand a chance at reelection and Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as the new president. Roosevelt began to establish programs that became known as the New Deal. This was an attempt to help curb unemployment by hiring people for various projects. It was ultimately the entrance of the U.S. into World War II that ended the Great Depression in the United States
World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It was the most destructive and consequential war in history. Seventeen million military personnel died in the war. Women played a vital part in this country’s success in World War Two. Women were encouraged to join the war effort in factories, farms and the forces and women at work became one of the enduring images of the war. But women's contribution to the war effort was not the only thing they had to do. It was equally important as their role as mothers, housewives and volunteers, helping with everything from dealing with air raids and evacuees to cooking and cleaning for the troops. Since sixteen million Americans went to war, it meant that 1 in 8 people were going into the airforce which created a bond everyone shared. Which were examples of families that pulled together to weather crises, pooling resources and working together. Persons of color were also viewed as equal. Women upheld the domestic sphere of society and maintained household standards through hard work and help from one another. Whether by running a household under restrictive conditions, supporting themselves and a child, or volunteering for the war effort, amidst the anxieties of fear, worry, or the loss of a loved one. The women improvised, adapted, and overcame wartime problems.