Study Notes: Depression and Wars 1920-1953

Depression and Wars, $1920$-$1953$

Contextual Overview

• The period between the end of World War I and the mid-$20$th century was defined by a transition from post-war isolationism to global superpower status, shaped by three seismic events:

  • The Great Depression ($1929$-$1939$): A decade of global economic collapse beginning with the stock market crash.

  • World War II ($1939$-$1945$): A total global conflict ending with the use of the first atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in $1945$.

  • The Cold War ($1947$-$1991$): A geopolitical standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union, transitioning from wartime cooperation to intense ideological competition.

• These events resulted in tens of millions of deaths and extensive economic upheaval. By $1953$, there was a persistent national anxiety over the threat of nuclear war and the "permanent war economy."

Economic and Political Landscape of the $1920$s

• Post-World War I, the USA retreated from international involvement (isolationism) and pursued a "Return to Normalcy":

  • Conservatism: Dominated by the Republican Party under Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover.

  • Laissez-faire Economics: Policies favored corporate expansion, high protective tariffs (e.g., Fordney-McCumber Tariff), and tax cuts for the wealthy.

  • The First Red Scare ($1919$-$1920$): Intense fear of communism and radicalism led to the suppression of labor unions and civil liberties.

Cultural Changes and The "Jazz Age"

• The $1920$s witnessed the emergence of a vibrant, consumer-driven urban culture:

  • Mass Production: The rise of Fordism and the automobile (Model T) revolutionized transport and social habits.

  • Media Expansion: The growth of the film industry in Hollywood and the $1920$ launch of KDKA, the first commercial radio station, created a shared national culture.

  • Harlem Renaissance: An explosion of African American artistic, musical (Jazz), and intellectual expression in New York City.

• Cultural frictions manifested as a clash between traditional rural values and liberal urban shifts:

  • The New Woman: "Flappers" challenged traditional norms through fashion and increased personal freedom.

  • Nativism: The $1924$ Johnson-Reed Act established strict immigration quotas based on national origins, specifically targeting Southern and Eastern Europeans.

The Great Depression and the New Deal

• The excitement of the $1920$s ended with the Stock Market Crash in October $1929$, leading to:

  • Systemic Collapse: Unemployment reached approximately $25\%$ by $1933$, and bank failures wiped out millions of life savings.

  • The Dust Bowl: Severe drought and soil erosion in the Great Plains led to mass migrations (the "Okies").

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR): His presidency initiated the New Deal, a series of programs focused on Relief, Recovery, and Reform:

  • Policy Examples: The Social Security Act ($1935$) for old-age pensions, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) for public infrastructure, and the FDIC to insure bank deposits.

  • New Definition of Freedom: Shifted from "liberty of contract" to public guarantees of economic security and the right to a living wage.

World War II Impact

• The USA’s entry into WWII after Pearl Harbor ($1941$) centralized federal power and ended the Depression through massive military spending:

  • The Four Freedoms: Articulated by Roosevelt (Freedom of speech, worship, from want, and from fear) as universal goals.

  • Social Changes: Women entered the industrial workforce in record numbers ("Rosie the Riveter"), and the "Double V" campaign sought victory over fascism abroad and racism at home.

  • Internment: Despite the rhetoric of freedom, Executive Order $9066$ led to the forced relocation and internment of $120,000$ Japanese Americans.

Cold War Dynamics and Domestic Policy

• Post-WWII tensions replaced the Grand Alliance, leading to the policy of Containment:

  • The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan: Provided military and economic aid to prevent the spread of communism in Europe.

  • The Korean War ($1950$-$1953$): A hot conflict within the Cold War that solidified the USA's role as the "global policeman."

  • McCarthyism: Senator Joseph McCarthy spearheaded a period of political repression and "witch hunts" for perceived subversives in government and media.

Key Events and Legal Cases

• Sacco and Vanzetti Case ($1921$-$1927$): Two Italian anarchists were executed on questionable evidence, highlighting the era's xenophobia and judicial prejudice.

• The Scopes Trial ($1925$): Known as the "Monkey Trial," it represented the legal and cultural battle over the teaching of evolution versus creationism in schools (modernism vs. fundamentalism).

Feminism and Gender Roles

• Following the passage of the $19$th Amendment ($1920$), the feminist movement saw internal divisions:

  • Equal Rights Amendment (ERA): Championed by Alice Paul, it caused controversy among those who feared it would eliminate special labor protections for women.

  • Consumerism: The market began depicting women’s liberation through lifestyle choices and consumer goods rather than political activism.

Conclusion

• By $1953$, the American landscape had shifted from the laissez-faire individualism of the early $1920$s to a Keynesian model of government intervention, global military commitment, and a society grappling with the contradictions of expanding rights and Cold War conformity.