America - Imapct Of New Deal And WW2 Flashcards
Unemployment
Alphabet agencies such as CCC, PWA and WPA the federal government got involved in helping the unemployed fore the first time
However, unemployment didn’t fall below 14% of the workforce
17.2% of Americans were still out of work in 1939
Some new deal measures did more harm tha good
Concentrated on domestic issues and therefore restricted trade
The PAW was criticised for creating ‘boondoggling’ jobs
Income was still lower than it had been in 1920s and in 1939, 1/5 Americans received some form of government relief
3/4 of these people had been out of work in 1933
USA continued to be worst affected country
The Roosevelt Recession (1937-38) made things worse
Economic decline in this period was worse than in 1929
Industrial production fell by 33%
Nearly 4 million people lost their jobs
FDR was somewhat responsible because he cut government spending
In conclusion, the New Deal was a failure but it led the way for WW2 to grow the economy
Infrastructure
The New deal did have a profound impact on national infrastructure
WPA helped to transform the USA
1935-1943, the workers of the WPA built 2,5000 hospitals, 5,900 school, 350 airports, 570,000 miles of road and 8,000 parks
The CCC helped to develop the US National and State parks
Work of CCC can still be seen today
Regional infrastructure was also developed
TVA Transformed Tennessee
The REA transformed life in rural America by providing electrity
By 1941, 40% of the nations farmers had electricity
In conclusion, the New Deal didn’t solve the economic problems, but it did transform the country
Women and the new deal
Until 1933, politics was dominated by men
FDR’s new deal changes this
For women, new deal opened up new job opportunities
In 1930, 10.7 million workers worked by 1940 this had risen to 12.5 million
CCC employed women - ‘she,she,she camps’
Women were also employed by the government
Eleanor Roosevelt (FLOTUS) played an importnt part in deciding policy
She championed the positions of women and ethnic minories
During the new deal years, she held 348 press conferences
She’s stayed connected with the people through letters and her “My Day” newspaper article
She belied that women should be involved in government and encouraged FDR to appoint women wherever possible
She campaigned for a female equivalent to the CCC
She played a key role in the National Youth Administration and the WPA
She defended attacks that they asked government Money
She was also a strong advocate for civil rights for black Americans
She met with the head of the NAACP and supported civil rights leaders
She had a high approval rating of 67% compare to her husbands of 58%
Frances Perkins, first woman cabinet minister:
- secretary of labour (1933)
- she crafted the social security act
- this was seen by many as new deals most important act
- she also helped pass a minimum wage for workers in 1938
Mary McLeod Bethune, activist
- most prominent black American in new deal
- founded her own civil rights organisation
- helped to plan priorities for black Americans
- che championed black America youth and the right of black American workers
The economy overall
By 1940, Europe was at war and the US had experienced partial economic recovery
Unemployment still at 14.6% and trade union membership had dramatically increased
The workforce has more protection regarding pay and conditions than ever before
Economic power was still in the hands of big Corporations
In 1939, the top 5 corporations controlled 84.5% of all income generated by businesses
Industrial unrest still existed
Infrastructure changes by the new deal laid the foundation for recovery
Americans were now better educated which aided future economic growth
Conclusion
The new deal halted the economic depression
However, full recovery only happened due to WW2 when the US became a major source of wartime production
Black Americans
10% of US population
Had generally lived in the south of the USA where, until 1865, they had been slaves
Still faces considerable discrimination
By beginning of new deal many southern/eastern states had introduced segregation and enforcement of the Jim Crow Laws
1 million black Americans moved north in 1920s and 30s
Lived in separate housing areas, often referred to as ghettos
FDR% needed the vote of southern democrats who were often racist
“I did not choose the tools with which I must work”
Many New Deal measures worked against black Americans
They were the last to be taken on and the first to be fired
Poorly paid, menial jobs were being taken by white Americans who were now unemployed
NRA allowed for black Americans to be paid less than white Americans
CCC was ran by a southern racist who didn’t want black people to join
The AAA did little to help
CCC camps were racially segregated
By the end of the New Deal, FDR had done nothing top end legal segregation
Anti-lynching bill;s reachers Congress in 1934 and 37 but FDR didn’t support either
Black Americans remained second class
However, the agencies did offer some hope
The government t became the largest employer of black Americans in Cleveland
Racial quotas for housing units
WPA provided work for 350,000 black Americans
250,000 black Americans were taught how to read and write
Native Americans
330,000 of the population
Majority of Native Americans lives in west
Wasn’t until 1924 that a;; native Americans became US citizens
Land had been taken away from them and sold off and they were left with barren land
Poor quality of life and a nomadic lifestyle
The Indian Reorganisation Act 1934
Offered radical change
Reorganised and encouraged Native American culture rather than the former policy of assimilation
Organised into self-governing bodies with an elected tribal council
Could have their own legal system
Proclaimed as the “Indian New Deal”
However, many tribes (including the Navajos) rejected the act
They didn’t want more government interference in their lives
CCC and PWA offered relief from unemployment to Native Americans
Made little difference to the position of native Americans within the US economy
Did nothing to improve their economic plight
Hispanic Americans
Found more employment as a result of the war but still faces discrimination
90% of Hispanic American children were educated in segregated schools where their teachers didn’t speak Spanish
During the depression 400,000 Hispanic Americans (including those born is USA) were sent to Mexico
Those who remained saw their wages slashed
35 cents per hour to 14 cents per hour (1933)
Mostly migrant workers they lived in poor, temporary accommodation
Racial discrimination was wide-spread
Much of the new deal legislation din’t help migrant workers
NIRA/Wagner Act/Fair Labour Standards Act
Without trade union help their pay and working, conditions deteriorated over the years
It could be argued that the new deal made their lives worse
The AAA (1933) meant that fewer workers were required and this meant that Hispanic workers lost their income
WW2 impact - black Americans
The US armed forced and economic resources were centigram to allied victory in WW2
Until 1948, the US armed forces were segregated on racial lines
When the USA entered the war in 1941, there were fewer than 4,000 black Americans in the military and only 12 officers
By end of war, 21.2 million were in forced
Black Americans faced racial discrimination in thr amred forces
All white draft boards decided where they would be allocated or whether they would be accepted
Even once accepted, they were in non-combat roles
Many politicians believe that black Americans would perform prolly in combat roles
However, black Americans served with distinction in the areas they did work
Wartime contributions - Tuskegee airmen
32nd fighter group of the 15th US army air force
Trained at Tuskegee, Alabama
All officers were black
Also known as the ‘red tails’
From May 1943 to June 1945, they never lost a single bomber the were escorting
They still faced criticism from white Congressmen
They disliked black Americans gaining combat Experience and didn’t want them to have officer status
War time contributions - Navajo code talkers
Native American group
Navajos employed as communications soldiers
Their language was so complicated that the Japanese couldn’t crack their communications
By end of war, 420 Mayakovsky men were code tapped out of a population of only 50,000 people
Japanese Americans
Following Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour (1941) all of the Japanese American population were forced to leave their homes and were re-located to internment camps in Desert areas of the west
400,000 moved
This was due to increasing fears of Japanese subversives
They said it was impossible to distinguish between loyal and traitorous Japanese and therefore they should all be locked up
‘Issei’ (Japanese who immigrated to USA) and ‘Nisei’ (Japanese Americans born and educated in USA)
German and Italian Americans weren’t treated as a racial group and therefore didn’t lose their civil rights
In Hawaii, home of Pearl Harbor, there was no internment
1943 race riots
WW2 helped to bring an end to discrimination in defence industries as black Americans could benefit from employment created by the war
However, they still faced discrimination
This resulted in race riots across USA in 1943
Most serious were Detroit, Michigan and LA
The double v campaign
‘V’ for victory
Encouraged black Americans to fight racial discrimination by serving in the armed forces
They should campaign against racial discrimination in the workplace
Encouraged in newspapers and magazines
Received help from white Hollywood stars
American economy 1941-45
WW2 transformed economy
Between 41-45, national income, wealth and industrial production more than doubled
In 1940, GNP was $99.7 billion
1945, risen to $211 billion
By 1947 US producing 57% of world steel, 43% electrical anf 62% of oil
It was the global economic power
In July 1944, the government led the way in creating post air international economic system
The Breton Woods Agreement created IMF to stabilise national currencies
This shows America playing a key role in keeping world’s economy stable
Governmnt had risen taxes to finance war
Tax raised $137 billion of total war cost of $304 billion
To cover shortfall of $167 billion, the Treasury used war bonds
By 1946, when war bond selling came to an end, 85 million Americans had purchased
War also increased federal government role in economic affairs
Agencies such as the Office of Price Administration wee set up
This mean to government were now more responsible for the stability of the economy
