WHAT ENDED THE DEPRESSION?

WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE END?

• US factories manufacturing and producing major items for the world.
• Increase in war time production.
• GI bills

FACTORY AND INCREASED PRODUCTION

• During the war, industrial factories around the world were destroyed.
• That left American factories to manufacture and produce major items for the whole world.
• This gave the US a monopoly over the world.

INCREASE IN JOBS IN THE US

• Hundreds of thousands of jobs were made to support the US and allies in WWII.
• Automobiles, artillery and machinery were made.
• Since the men were away at war, women started taking their jobs.
• The increase of jobs and paychecks lowered unemployment.
• Employment rates went from 25% in 1933 to a little bit over 0% in 1945.

GI BILLS SEND SOLDERS TO COLLEGE

• In 1944, FDR signed the GI bill for WWII veterans.
• The GI Bill gave solders money for tuition, books, supplies and living expenses.
• In 1939, 160,000 Americans graduated from college
• Because of the GI Bill, 500,000 students graduated.
• The increase in well-educated people led to more technology, ultimately leading to increased production of goods.

QUOTES ON THE GREAT DEPRESSION

• " The Great Depression of the 1930s saw more American unmarried women working from nine to five, mostly in repetitive, boring, subordinate, dead-end jobs. But the number of working women doubled between 1870 and 1940. During World War II it doubled once again."
• " Some think that just the fact of massive government spending, and temporary employment supporting the war effort was the mechanism. That is wrong." -Leonard Westein, ScD

WHY ASK?