Posted on 02/27/2022 8:14:03 AM PST by millenial4freedom
Bkmk
If you are willing to spend the time and effort reading a book, there is one masterpiece on this topic:
https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Great-Depression-Murray-Rothbard/dp/1607960656
They got the same items every year for Christmas, with a fresh coat of paint or otherwise repaired. They learned to bridge very large holes in their clothes, essentially weaving new fabric with thread from the spool. She could make dozens of dishes with potatoes or beans. She even made bread from potatoes.
Her descriptions of listening to Hitler rise to power on the radio were enthralling. There were adventure, mystery, and other story programs on the radio. One was called "The Whistler".
She died way back in 1967; but, I still miss her something fierce.
My Mom had it easier than my Dad but her Aunt and Uncle moved in with them and the men went out looking for work and the women cleaned and did clothes and cooked. She said some nights all they had was cornbread with milk on it. They moved around a lot because they would get behind on the rent and have to move out.
My dad’s father lost his grocery store so he went door to door with a basket of produce everyday. My grandmother had a victory garden and rabbits in the backyard. Some nights all they had to eat were potatoes.
They endured a lot of hardship. I think that is why they drove us pretty hard to go through college.
My dad didn't have it so badly. His father was a Lutheran pastor, so was always employed. They sent him to prep schools and then the seminary. Being the youngest of twelve children and raised by his sisters, he came out a little spoiled and prissy.
Mom feared nobody, but did differ to him. I actually think she was smarter than my dad.
My material Grandfatherthought he was almost God
The victors write the history.
It took me a concerted effort to finally locate a book about the real story behind how we mobilized from the depression to the Arsenal of Democracy. Surprise. Turns out it was not because of the patriotic American Worker but in spite of him. It was done by a manufacturing genius named William Knudsen and the leaders of industry in the US. Knudsen was quietly hired by FDR in early ‘41 and he was able to lay the ground work for turning on the industrial might of the US to war production. When he finished FDR cut him off at the knees and replaced him with a New Deal plant to get all the credit. It took decades for the truth to come out.
It took war production to end the Depression in the US. Giverment spending did hot do it so well. The truth is in plain sight of the little known truth that much of the rest of the world, UK, had recovered by sound fiscal policy of tightening the purse strings and letting economic crisis run its course. This is why the UK were able to respond to the start of the war, they were just too small and without resources to carry the day.
When you find the book that tells the truth let us know.
About the only thing the New Deal did that was worth a damn is the CCC and WPA. Their works are fading.
The Soil Conservation Service and shelter breaks were also not a bad thing to do.
As for the rest of it, meh, just more drunken sailor spending.
FDR was a socialist of course. Charming as a cat and conniving. Why my mother and Grand parents thought he was so great I’ll never understand. Well, at least Dad thought he was a communist sob. None of them got a single break as a result of his programs. Maybe it was wartime leadership? My Dad’s family worked at whatever they could to make it and my Mom’s survived on a 20 acre farm but always ate well in spite of it being in Eastern Oklahoma. Not all families were the Joads, the tough ones stayed and survived. They had food when many others didn’t.
Not exactly what you are looking for, but the internal sources will probably guide you:
You might also pick up a copy of the”
Politically Incorrect Guide (PIG) to the Great Depression.
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