In the presidential election of 1928, hoover easily won the. This great man and humanitarian was the siren sounding a warning of a catastrophic event in american history that was going to. The origins of the great depression, we attempt to stop the. In 1934, after hoover s tenure in office, robbins wrote the book, the great depression, which contains what some historians, notably david f. Hoovers reputation as a humanitarian faded from public consciousness when his administration proved unable to alleviate widespread joblessness, homelessness, and hunger in his own country during.
The following links will take you to a pdf file of each individual book, books may be searched from the file. Harding and calvin coolidge, he promoted economic modernization. Herbert clark hoover august 10, 1874 october 20, 1964 was an american engineer, businessman, and politician who served as the 31st president of the united states from 1929 to 1933. The great depression, 19291941 by herbert hoover and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. As the depression worsened, he signed legislation for public works projects and increased government spending. Herbert hoover president of the great depression is the biography of herbert hoover, the thirtyfirst president of the united states 19291933, a mining. Great myths of the great depression foundation for economic. Herbert hoover was the 31st president of the united states. Mention the name herbert hoover, the 31st president of the united states, and you probably think great depression. The published writings of herbert hoover the herbert hoover. Based on this first speech as president, predict how hoover will respond to the great depression when it begins later on in 1929. New york, oxford university press, 1959 ocolc559673703 online version. Refer to specific passages from the text in your prediction.
New york, oxford university press, 1959 ocolc608212796. He paints a sympathetic yet unsparing portrait of hoover from birth to presidency, rendering him as a superb relief administrator, an excellent secretary of commerce, and a man who understood that the boom of the 1920s would end in a bust unless measures were taken. The term the great depression is most frequently attributed to british economist lionel robbins, whose 1934 book the great depression is credited with formalizing the phrase, though hoover is widely credited with popularizing the term, informally referring to the downturn as a depression, with such uses as economic depression cannot be cured. Historians, economists, and politicians have all combed the wreckage searching for the black box that will reveal the cause of this legendary tragedy. William leuchtenbergs book on hoovers presidency, which i read recently, is equally baffling in many respects he has one chapter on what a great president hoover was, and another chapter on what a bad president hoover was, and he never coordinates the two but leuchtenberg does, almost inadvertently, make a couple things clear. Great myths of the great depression mp3 many volumes have been written about the great depression and its impact on the lives of millions of americans. He believed in laissez faire, meaning leave businesses and.
Social welfare history project hoover, herbert, 31st u. The memoirs of herbert hoover the great depression, 19291941 book. Burg, consider to be the fist usage of the phrase we. Access to society journal content varies across our titles. Warren notes, hoover, the great humanitarian, the great engineer, the great secretary, was the embodiment of an idea, a legendary ideal, a portrait of intentions and not a picture of realities. This great man and humanitarian was the siren sounding a warning of a catastrophic event in american history that was going to ruin millions of hard working american citizens. If he failed, the whole country would blame him for their trouble. He was a worldfamous mining engineer and humanitarian administrator. Before fdr, herbert hoover tried his own new deal history. Roosevelt, exuded hope and optimism, and promised the people a new deal. Within the whole study, burner mentions in one sentence only that hoover should have recognized the need of direct governmental. In this balanced evaluation of the hoover administration and its efforts to deal with the domestic problems of the great depression, harris gaylord warren cuts through the myths that surround a crucial and insufficiently understood period of american political history. The 1920s were a period of optimism and prosperity for some americans.
Unwarranted attempt to make the case that hoover was ahead of his time and on the correct side of every issue, from the great depression to the new deal to race relations to later 20th century politics. The memoirs of herbert hoover the great depression, 19291941 hoover, herbert on. A biography was published nearly two decades before hoovers death, but it was updated and republished shortly after hoover died in 1964. Sep 24, 2017 hoover was president for the early years of what americans call the great depression. In a thorough, overly sympathetic biography, jeansonne emeritus, historyuniv. Many people believe that it was hoovers lack of action that brought america to its knees before the great depression. All i remember about herbert hoover as a young teen was that he had something to do with the great depression.
The memoirs of herbert hoover the great depression abebooks. Feb 28, 2019 herbert hoover was not a donothing president during the great depression. Herbert hoover president of the great depression biography. It was hoover who had to come up with the programs to stop the depression. As a united states commerce secretary in the 1920s under presidents warren g. It was into the lower end of such circumstances that herbert hoover, the. The published writings of herbert hoover the herbert.
Great myths of the great depression foundation for. Unlike andrew mellon and calvin coolidge who believed that the federal government should keep its hands off the economy, herbert hoover believed that some action from the federal government. Unemployed men queued outside a depression soup kitchen opened in chicago by al capone. Oct 04, 2016 herbert hoover 18741964 as a lifelong champion of true gop ideals. If you have access to a journal via a society or association membership, please browse to your society journal, select an article to view, and follow the instructions in this box. Herbert hoover was not a donothing president during the great depression. Books by herbert hoover author of american individualism. The rest of his presidency was consumed with the great depression. Hoovers reputation as a humanitarian faded from public consciousness when his administration proved unable to alleviate widespread joblessness, homelessness, and hunger in his own country during the early years of the great depression.
When herbert hoover became president in 1929, the stock market was climbing to unprecedented levels, and some investors were taking advantage of low interest rates to buy stocks on credit, pushing prices even higher. After the crash of 1929, herbert hoover took steps that were vigorous, creative, and even radicalif, alas, ultimately unavailing. One that acknowledges the role that government played in causing and prolonging it, and the constructive role that free enterprise could have played, if it were given the chance. The key point of this story is that the crash and the subsequent depression were due to factors that are innate to the capitalist system, unchecked under the supposedly laissezfaire policies of herbert hoover. The great depression the herbert hoover presidential. A new biography finally does justice to herbert hoovers. Crowds outside new york stock exchange, 1929 image. Oct 20, 2019 president at the start of the great depression, herbert hoover was an engineer and business magnate, hailed as a humanitarian who fed millions during world war i, and an innovator who introduced. Hoover was doomed to be remembered as the man who was too rigidly. The timing of the great depression varied across the world. Sep 01, 2007 the key point of this story is that the crash and the subsequent depression were due to factors that are innate to the capitalist system, unchecked under the supposedly laissezfaire policies of herbert hoover. This is the longest of my four hoover biographies with 442 pages of text and it.
Herbert hoover, 31st president of the united states 192933. The recession that started the great depression began in august 1929. Herbert hoover was president of the united states from 1928 to 1932, serving one term during the great depression, with philosophies that are infamous for contributing to the downfall of the economy. A member of the republican party, he held office during the onset of the great depression. Wikimedia as the depression spread, public blame settled on president herbert hoover and the conservative politics of the republican party. Herbert hoover in the oval office with ted joslin, 1932 a few months after he was elected, the stock market crashed and the great depression was beginning. Herbert hoover and the great depression book, 1959. The great depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that took place mostly during the 1930s, beginning in the united states. Last year, the economist robert gordon published a book titled the rise. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search.
He rode into power because of his success during world war i and the roaring twenties. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century. Herbert hoover 18741964, americas 31st president, took office in 1929, the year the u. In this video, ucla economist lee ohanian explains how herbert hoover, widely misunderstood as a champion of the free market, actually turned what should have just. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The paperback of the the memoirs of herbert hoover. If he succeeded, many americans would think he was a great president. As the united states secretary of commerce in the 1920s under presidents warren harding and calvin coolidge, hoover promoted economic modernization. Herbert hoover 18741964, americas 31st president, took office in 1929. Herbert hoover was the 31st president of the united states 19291933, whose term was notably marked by the stock market crash of 1929 and the beginnings of the great. With the presidential election approaching, the democratic candidate, new york governor franklin d.
President at the start of the great depression, herbert hoover was an engineer and business magnate, hailed as a humanitarian who fed millions during world war i. Nov 18, 2012 great myths of the great depression mp3 many volumes have been written about the great depression and its impact on the lives of millions of americans. By the summer of 1932, the great depression had begun to show signs of improvement, but many people in the united states still blamed president hoover. The memoirs of herbert hoover the great depression, 1929 1941 ebook. The memoirs of herbert hoover the great depression, 19291941 by herbert hoover 3. Before serving as americas 31st president from 1929 to 1933, herbert hoover had achieved international success as a mining engineer and worldwide gratitude as the great humanitarian who fed wartorn europe during and after world war i. Oct 28, 2017 no one has ever taken seriously herbert hoovers claim that he broke the great depression in the summer of 1932, not least because the great depression ran another seven years before dissolving. Nov 26, 2017 almost as soon as he entered office, hoover was presented with the severest economic crisis of modern times, the great depression. Growing up hoover was born in iowa, the son of a blacksmith. Unwarranted attempt to make the case that hoover was ahead of his time and on the correct side of every issue, from the great depression to the.
No one has ever taken seriously herbert hoovers claim that he broke the great depression in the summer of 1932, not least because the great depression ran. It was only once franklin delano roosevelt came into office that the government jumpstarted the recovery. Almost as soon as he entered office, hoover was presented with the severest economic crisis of modern times, the great depression. Herbert hoover 18741964 as a lifelong champion of true gop ideals. Herbert clark hoover 1874 1964 was an american businessman, engineer and politician who served as the 31st president of the united states from 1929 and 1933. But for all its merit in exploring hoovers presidency it falls deliberately short in examining him personally. During those years, the united states economy slid into a severe recession. The memoirs of herbert hoover the great depression, 19291941. Read the fulltext online edition of bylines in despair. Title of the book should have been the case for herbert hoovers sainthood tremendously over the top, sycophantic biography. This volume contains a collection of memoirs by herbert hoover, concentrating on the great depression, its origins, and its effects. Herbert hoover president of the great depression is the biography of herbert hoover, the thirtyfirst president of the united states 19291933, a mining engineer and humanitarian administrator. Hoover was president for the early years of what americans call the great depression.
Herbert hoover is known for being the president during the stock market crash of 1929 which triggered the start of the great depression. Courtesy of herbert hoover presidential library and museum, hoover, herbert, 4 march 1929 description. In his role as secretary of commerce, hoover also created a new government pro. Readers new to hoover will be surprised to read of the hoover administrations early accomplishments and will find a thoughtprovoking if not exciting discussion of the great depression. Herbert hoover and the depression erbert hoover had the bad luck to be president when the great depression started. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Herbert hoover and the great depression book, 2011. President herbert hoover is often undermined and overlooked as an idle predecessor in comparison to the renowned franklin delano roosevelt. May 19, 2017 president herbert hoover is often depicted as a donothing who, through inaction, singlehandedly created the conditions that led to the great depression and allowed it to continue until the country was saved by the new deal. Although sharply critical of hoovers lack of vision, he demonstrates that in many ways hoover has been unfairly judged.
He wrote articles and books outlining his conservative political views. Home browse books book details, bylines in despair. Crocker, may 21, 1932 document do you feel herbert hoovers policies demonstrated an understanding of the plight of individuals during the great depression or was he a donothing president. Oct 24, 2019 herbert hoover was the 31st president of the united states 19291933, whose term was notably marked by the stock market crash of 1929 and the beginnings of the great depression. Herbert clark hoover august 10, 1874 october 20, 1964 was the 31st president of the united states from 1929 to 1933. President herbert hoover approached the problem of the great depression by promoting his vision of private sector and government cooperation. The best biographies of herbert hoover my journey through. When confronted by the crisis of the great depression, the.
1155 655 349 1429 879 1192 983 354 45 914 905 1520 1526 703 724 1113 1124 1584 260 662 851 1402 561 1565 955 1163 1596 422 98 301 149 538 1061 319 1470 50 887 1280 1292