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"The Great Depression of the 1930s turned the lives of ordinary Americans upside down, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's psyche. The Great Depression: America in the 1930s is award-winning historian T.H. Watkins's lively political, economic, and cultural account of this age of hardship and hope." "This companion volume to the public television series The Great Depression tells the story of a decade of disaster, challenge, and change. It begins with the most devastating economic crash in modern history and recounts an epic narrative of human suffering, social turmoil, and a political revolution that transformed the outline of American life and government - from unprecedented federal programs such as Social Security, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and massive public works projects to local grass-roots movements whose energies helped forge a new relationship between citizens and their government, citizens and their presidents. During this great era a new kind of hope was born, one that would not only help lead the way out of the despair of the depression but would live on to inspire postwar crusades for civil rights, women's rights, environmentalism, and other social movements." "Illustrated with more than 150 photographs, documents, and posters - many of them published here for the first time - The Great Depression stands as the essential chronicle of a decade that shaped America's consciousness and character forever in an age not unlike our own."--Jacket.… (más)
There is no denying that the Depression that began in 1929 was a convulsive episode in the history of the USA. One President has been vilified for not being inventive enough to deal with it and another has been glorified; yet neither definition fits well. Watkins presents evidence that many in our nation dealt with the time 1929 to 1939 in a straight forward way while other Americans demanded the government do something. Unlike the recession (depression?) of 2008 to ?, the main thrust of FDR was to put people to work as a means to get them back on their feet. Some of the government programs were brilliant; others not so much -- but at least the thrust was to restore work. It is inconceivable that FDR would have tried to close down the coal industry as a means to get people back to work. Did World War II end the 1929 Depression or was it the avalanche of government programs? One thing is certain, from 1929 through 1939, the USA made an irreversible turn to a greater, more intrusive Federal Government. One cannot, however, when discussing cause and effect ignore the plight of so many people which was downright miserable. I think Watkins does an excellent job describing what happened to us. One might even go so far as to ask, would the USA of the 1920's been able to deal with WWII as well as the USA of the 1930's subsequently did. We went to war in 1917 as the savior of democracy; we went to war in 1941 because we had to. One would never prescribe the period of 1929 through 1939 simply to toughen a people but it certainly had that effect. ( )
Very informative and well-written. I love the stories and anecdotes. I love the pictures. My only comment was that the author already assumes that you already know certain things such as the emergency banking act and the CCC and he doesn't try to explain it in detail anymore. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book! ( )
This is a very readable and admirably clear, lavishly illustrated account of the Great Depression. I would recommend it as an excellent overall account of the era. Those wishing to read further, or on special topics, can consult the extensive bibliography. There is, in addition, a detailed index. Reading it in the end of 2008 is almost eerie. Watkins takes a relatively centrist to somewhat liberal stance. He obviously feels that the government needed to intervene as Roosevelt and the other New Dealers did, but feels that they did not do enough for some segments of society. ( )
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
To my grandchildren--Aaron Matthew Watkins, Breanna Mae Watkins, and Steven John Pless
Primeras palabras
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
A great deal separates our own time and the time we call the Great Depression -- the six convulsive years of World War II, a phantom conflict called the Cold War that has only just "ended", two real wars in Korea and Vietnam and a television war in the Persian Gulf; nice presidencies; profound explosions of technology and sometimes violent social change; and the rise and fall of entire world governments.
Citas
Últimas palabras
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
In the end, the world of the Great Depression, molded by fear, uncertainty, determination, and a wondrous bravery, gave us the world of our own present hope--and if we shape our world half as well as did the men and women of the 1930s, we will have gone a long way toward honoring our own obligation to the future.
"The Great Depression of the 1930s turned the lives of ordinary Americans upside down, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's psyche. The Great Depression: America in the 1930s is award-winning historian T.H. Watkins's lively political, economic, and cultural account of this age of hardship and hope." "This companion volume to the public television series The Great Depression tells the story of a decade of disaster, challenge, and change. It begins with the most devastating economic crash in modern history and recounts an epic narrative of human suffering, social turmoil, and a political revolution that transformed the outline of American life and government - from unprecedented federal programs such as Social Security, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and massive public works projects to local grass-roots movements whose energies helped forge a new relationship between citizens and their government, citizens and their presidents. During this great era a new kind of hope was born, one that would not only help lead the way out of the despair of the depression but would live on to inspire postwar crusades for civil rights, women's rights, environmentalism, and other social movements." "Illustrated with more than 150 photographs, documents, and posters - many of them published here for the first time - The Great Depression stands as the essential chronicle of a decade that shaped America's consciousness and character forever in an age not unlike our own."--Jacket.
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One cannot, however, when discussing cause and effect ignore the plight of so many people which was downright miserable. I think Watkins does an excellent job describing what happened to us. One might even go so far as to ask, would the USA of the 1920's been able to deal with WWII as well as the USA of the 1930's subsequently did. We went to war in 1917 as the savior of democracy; we went to war in 1941 because we had to. One would never prescribe the period of 1929 through 1939 simply to toughen a people but it certainly had that effect. (