Hoover, FDR, and The Great Depression

Hoover’s Personal Life Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa in He was a member of the inaugural class at Stanford University where he studied geology. Hoover’s wife, the former Lou Henry, was athletic and brilliant. She was the first woman to graduate from Stanford and met Herbert in the geology lab. Lou Hoover spoke five languages, assisted her husband in his geology and engineering work, often translating his articles and books. She was a world traveler and often assisted her husband in the cultural necessities for international business.

Hoovers’ Mining Career Herbert made a specialty of turning around struggling operations with organization and technology Herbert made a specialty of turning around struggling operations with organization and technology His wife helped translate his work and bridge the cultural gaps in foreign nations. Their work made them wealthy. His wife helped translate his work and bridge the cultural gaps in foreign nations. Their work made them wealthy. They were forced to flee China for a time during the Boxer Rebellion, an insurrection aimed at purging the nation of western influence. They were forced to flee China for a time during the Boxer Rebellion, an insurrection aimed at purging the nation of western influence. While in London, at the outbreak of the First World War, the Hoovers organized an impromptu organization to evacuate expatriated and vacationing Americans from Europe. While in London, at the outbreak of the First World War, the Hoovers organized an impromptu organization to evacuate expatriated and vacationing Americans from Europe.

Belgium During WWI, Germany invaded Belgium on the way France. Britain and France placed a blockade on the Central Powers which kept them from importing food. Germany no longer had enough food for its own population, let alone occupied countries such as Belgium. Hoover, living in London, organized his entire mining firm as a relief operation for Belgium. Hoover negotiated with the Allied nations to allow the relief ships through the blockade and negotiated with the Germans to not attack the ships with submarines.

“Hooverizing” Woodrow Wilson placed Hoover in charge of agricultural production for the American war effort. Hoover was immediately successful. In addition to rationalizing the American production system, Hoover convinced Americans that it was patriotic to go without in war time. Cutting back became known as “Hooverizing,” rationing was one way that World War I affected people on the home front. Seeking to manage domestic consumption in order to feed the U.S. Army and to assist Allied armies and civilians., the U.S. Food Administration declared “Food Will Win the War.”

“They will be fed!” Following the war, Hoover turned the United States Food Administration into a relief organization for the devastated populations, including the defeated Central Powers, in Europe. American aid fed two million people per day in Poland alone. When a critic accused Hoover of helping the Bolsheviks by providing food aid to the Soviet Union, Hoover responded in the following speech, “Twenty million people are starving. Whatever their politics, they will be fed.”

Secretary of Commerce With Hoover was invited to serve in the cabinet as Secretary of Commerce of Republican President Warren G. Harding. With Hoover was invited to serve in the cabinet as Secretary of Commerce of Republican President Warren G. Harding. While many members of the Harding cabinet were implicated in controversies and scandals, Hoover remained unscathed and, thus, retained his post under Calvin Coolidge. While many members of the Harding cabinet were implicated in controversies and scandals, Hoover remained unscathed and, thus, retained his post under Calvin Coolidge. By the 1920’s the American economy was transformed, industry and commerce, rather than agriculture, now provided the backbone of the American economy. By the 1920’s the American economy was transformed, industry and commerce, rather than agriculture, now provided the backbone of the American economy. As Commerce Secretary, Hoover was in the middle of the economic transformation, leading to the impression, that Herbert Hoover was everywhere. As Commerce Secretary, Hoover was in the middle of the economic transformation, leading to the impression, that Herbert Hoover was everywhere.

Al Smith runs for President Democratic nominee Al Smith was the first non-Protestant to be nominated for President by a major political party. Democratic nominee Al Smith was the first non-Protestant to be nominated for President by a major political party. Many Americans were highly suspicious of Catholics in high office, primarily because of their fealty to the Pope. Many Americans were highly suspicious of Catholics in high office, primarily because of their fealty to the Pope. The nomination of Smith also represented a shift of control in the Democratic Party away from rural, Protestant, agrarians, such as William Jennings Bryan, to urban interests. The nomination of Smith also represented a shift of control in the Democratic Party away from rural, Protestant, agrarians, such as William Jennings Bryan, to urban interests.

Hoover Becomes President Hoover, who was freed to run for the presidency when Calvin Coolidge declined to seek reelection, easily dispatched with Smith, who even failed to carry his home state of New York. Hoover, who was freed to run for the presidency when Calvin Coolidge declined to seek reelection, easily dispatched with Smith, who even failed to carry his home state of New York. The nation was at peace, was prosperous, and Herbert Hoover had an impeccable resume. Few Americans had much cause to seek change. The nation was at peace, was prosperous, and Herbert Hoover had an impeccable resume. Few Americans had much cause to seek change.

Hoover and the Great Depression On October 29, 1929, the Stock Market crashed, bringing the post-war decade of unrivaled prosperity, largely fed by the emergence of the consumer economy, to an abrupt end. On October 29, 1929, the Stock Market crashed, bringing the post-war decade of unrivaled prosperity, largely fed by the emergence of the consumer economy, to an abrupt end. While the causes of the Depression were primarily rooted in the structure of the American economy, Hoover, following conservative economic thinking, believed that economic matters were best left to the markets to sort out and, as a result, favored a minimal governmental response, largely centered on “trickle down theory,” to the growing crisis. While the causes of the Depression were primarily rooted in the structure of the American economy, Hoover, following conservative economic thinking, believed that economic matters were best left to the markets to sort out and, as a result, favored a minimal governmental response, largely centered on “trickle down theory,” to the growing crisis.

Dissatisfaction with Hoover’s Response In 1932, Edward Angly published a small book called "Oh Yeah?" skewering the Hoover administration for overly optimistic view of the economy. In 1932, Edward Angly published a small book called "Oh Yeah?" skewering the Hoover administration for overly optimistic view of the economy. Herbert Hoover was a great a great product of and great believer in rugged individualism. Herbert Hoover was a great a great product of and great believer in rugged individualism. To Hoover, charity was a matter for local governments and churches. To Hoover, charity was a matter for local governments and churches. Many Americans resented what they saw as an insufficient governmental response to the economic crisis, and, as president, Hoover bore the brunt of their animosity. Many Americans resented what they saw as an insufficient governmental response to the economic crisis, and, as president, Hoover bore the brunt of their animosity. “Hooverizing,” a term embraced by Americans during the war to mean economizing, came to be a bitter synonym for poverty. “Hooverizing,” a term embraced by Americans during the war to mean economizing, came to be a bitter synonym for poverty.

The Bonus March In June 1932, a group of 15-20,000 impoverished First World War veterans marched on Washington to demand the immediate payment of an enlistment bonus not due to them until In June 1932, a group of 15-20,000 impoverished First World War veterans marched on Washington to demand the immediate payment of an enlistment bonus not due to them until On June 15, the House approved a bill that would grant the veterans early payment but, under a threatened veto by Hoover, the bill failed in the Senate. On June 15, the House approved a bill that would grant the veterans early payment but, under a threatened veto by Hoover, the bill failed in the Senate. On 28 July 1932, Army Chief of Staff Douglas McArthur ordered Major George S. Patton to remove the protestors from the Mall. On 28 July 1932, Army Chief of Staff Douglas McArthur ordered Major George S. Patton to remove the protestors from the Mall. Patton quickly drove the protestors from Washington. McArthur then ordered Patton to pursue the marchers into Virginia and destroy their encampment. Patton quickly drove the protestors from Washington. McArthur then ordered Patton to pursue the marchers into Virginia and destroy their encampment. In the resulting conflict, scores were injured and one child was killed. In the resulting conflict, scores were injured and one child was killed.

Roosevelt Becomes President Hoover’s often tepid response to the Great Depression likely cost him any chance of reelection in Hoover’s often tepid response to the Great Depression likely cost him any chance of reelection in As it was, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the charismatic and confident former Governor of New York, appeared to be far more energetic and capable than Hoover. As it was, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the charismatic and confident former Governor of New York, appeared to be far more energetic and capable than Hoover. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address was hailed as a landmark in American oration. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address was hailed as a landmark in American oration. Roosevelt quickly set upon a course of active engagement with the Depression that changed American’s relationship with government. Roosevelt quickly set upon a course of active engagement with the Depression that changed American’s relationship with government.

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