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State of the Union Address: Herbert Hoover
Due to the Great Depression, many people were unemployed and men waited on the New York City Docks for jobs along with food. So on December 2, 1930, President Herbert Hoover asked the U.S. Congress to pass a $150 million public works project. His goal with this project was to generate not only employment, but economic activity as well. -
Japan Conquers Manchuria
Japan's invasion of Manchuria was prompted by the fact that Japan had become extremely crowded. This was due to its limited size and its ever increasing population. Manchuria provided the much needed space for Japan to grow as an empire. -
Presidential Election of 1932
Because the key issue of the 1930s was the Great Depression, as opposed to Catholicism and prohibition, it gave the Democrats the opportunity to regain power of the White House. Many leaders of the Democratic party saw Franklin D. Roosevelt as a suitable option for the presidency due to his experience along with the fact that he was a distance relative of former President Theodore Roosevelt. A key deciding factor was Roosevelt's efforts to fight the effects of the Depression in his own state. -
Hitler Elected Chancellor
In 1932, Hitler rose to power in Germany by transmitting the widespread discontentment with the post-war Weimar government into support for his Nazi party. Hitler was initially denied the Chancellor title by Hindenburg due to his (Hindenburg's) fear of Hitler's growing popularity. Despite this, Hitler was in fact elected as Chancellor in 1933. This marked a crucial turning point not only for Germany, but for the world as well. -
Stalin's Purges
Despite popular belief, the targets of Stalin's purges were not limited to only the Russians. In fact, the main object of these purges were his political enemies and their followers. The cruel acts carried out by Stalin's followers, called the Great Purges, occurred during 1934-1939. -
National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act)
The NLRA was passed by a Congress who was sympathetic to the labor unions. The goal of the NLRA (well known as the Wagner Act) was to give employees “the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection.” To help enforce this act, there were provisions made to punish any abuse of workers. -
Social Security Act
The Social Security Act of 1935 was created to provide for the general welfare by creating a system of Federal benefits for those who are aged. Not only that, but to also create provisions for elderly, blind people, dependent or crippled children, maternal and child welfare, and public health. The Social Security Act has remained relatively unchanged from the time it was signed by FDR. -
Francisco Franco's Rebellion
Francisco Franco was at first hesitant in his support of the rebellion. However, after the assassination of radical monarchist Jose Calvo Sotelo. On July 18, 1936, military leaders launched an uprising which gave them control over most of the western portion of the country. Franco was not only to transport troops to the mainland but he also made allies out of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, receiving arms and further support from them. -
Amelia Earhart's Mysterious Disappeareance
Amelia Earhart was born in 1897 and took up aviation at the age of 24, later gaining publicity as one of the earliest female aviators. Her first attempt at an around-the-world flight was called off after ground-looping while taking off from Howland Island which seriously damaged the plane. However in May, she set out again with Frederick Noonan to attempt for second time a trip around the world. Unfortunately, Earhart never completed her trip and was lost at sea. -
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht is literally, "Night of Crystals", and is oftentimes referred to as the "Night of Broken Glass". This name alludes to violent anti-Jewish "pogroms", which were attacks against anyone who was a Jew. These acts of violence were carried out on November 9th and 10th. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
The German invasion of Poland gave some insight on how Hitler planned to wage war, a method that would soon become known as the "blitzkrieg" method.The Polish army did not have much hope for success from the start due to several strategic miscalculations. Despite having one million soldiers, they were rather under-equipped and had poor strategy when planning their attacks. -
Hitler Signs Directive 21
Just weeks after the Germans defeated France and the Low Countries, Hitler decided to attack the Soviet Union sometime within the following year. On December 18, 1940, he signed Directive 21, which was code-named Operation Barbarossa. This was the first operational order for the attack on the Soviet Union. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Right before 8:00 am on December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. Despite only lasting two hours, the effects of the attack were severe. Nearly 20 naval ships were destroyed, along with 8 battleships, and over 300 airplanes. Over 2,000 American soldiers were killed, and 1,000 others injured. -
War Production Board
The War Production Board was established on May 3, 1942 to direct war production and the obtaining of materials in WWII. The WPB expanded the economy to max production for the war. During its three year existence, the WPB produced $185 billion worth of artillery and supplies. -
Zoot-Suit Riots
The Zoot-Suit Riots were a series of conflicts between the white and Latino communities in Los Angeles, California. The white military servicemen and police men had caused conflict with the Latino and African American in LA for years. The "zoot suits" were popular among the young men of color and became a symbol of the riots because troops had claimed to be harassed by these "zoot suiters". -
Presidential Election of 1944
The major issues of the time determined who was to be elected as president. Candidates were judged on their ability to finish the war and also create a lasting peace for the countries. The Republicans nominated Thomas Dewey and the Democrats, once again, Franklin D. Roosevelt. The results of the election were as expected and FDR was elected for his fourth, and last, term in office as the president of the United States. -
Battle of the Bulge
On December 16, 1945, the Germans launched their last major offensive of the war. This attempt to push the Ally's front from northern France to northwestern Belgium was called Operation Mist. A more well-known name it goes by is Battle of the Bulge, so named because the Germans had created a "bulge" around the area of the Ardennes forest while pushing through the American defensive line. -
Iron Curtain Speech
On March 5, 1946, the former British prime minister, Winston Churchill gave one of the most famous orations of the Cold War period. In his speech, he condemns the Soviet Union's policies in Europe. This is received positively by many U.S. officials, but there were a few who disagreed with Churchill's ideas. -
Marshall Plan
After WWII, Europe was in ruins; millions of people had died in the conflict and industrial and residential centers were destroyed. The economy was in shambles and Europe was on the brink of a famine. The Marshall Plan was introduced by George Marshall and its goal was to rebuild both the economy and spirit of Europe. -
Gandhi's Assassination
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement. He led several protests against Hindu-Muslim violence among other things. He also resorted to fasts in attempt to end Indian religious strife. Gandhi was in New Delhi when he was fatally shot by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist who opposed Gandhi's tolerance for the Muslims. -
NATO Established
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established by twelve Western nations. This military alliance greatly increased American influence in Europe. The purpose of this alliance was to have a better defense against Soviet Union aggression. -
The Korean War
The Korean War started on June 25, 1950, as an army of 75,000 North Korean soldiers made their way across the 38th parallel. This invasion was the first military act of the Cold War and by July, American troops had entered into the fighting. According to American officials, it was a battle against the international communist forces.
