FDR Addendum

     The FDR post earlier was not complete when published. It left off at talking about the thirties. Even though the United States was in a terrible economic position for working people the government was not in a bad financial position. So the government was in a position to help. Also some of the greatest public works were done during this time. You know the old trade time for money. With so many people unemployed the government had a huge work force to pull from. 

     To make things worse the weather took a toll on the Great Plains farming areas. When the European immigrants went to the west and mid west the prairie lands had about twelve to sixteen inches of top soil. Due to thousands of years of being grasslands. The agriculture methods depleted the soil. Losing inches of top soil every year. Then these great wind storms came through. Blowing away the remaining soil. Ruining all the farms from the area. Another crisis. The food production was hurt. If you see pictures of these people they are skin and bones. Not fat people on welfare. They are almost dead. Heading to California. 

     As with any economic shortcoming the rich remain rich. The bottom feeders suffer. There was a lot of technology and discovery at this time. The administration knew that there was a war brewing. And without much fanfare were developing a new military. In the early thirties the US had mostly left over WWI stuff. So they really pumped up. Developing new planes, ships, rifles, plans etc. Japan and the US were always best buddies.  But with their aggression on the Asian continent the US backed off. The US sold them their oil and all the scrap metal they wanted. As Japan did not have these natural resources. Japan resented this. The US even had a Chevrolet factory in Japan. Ever heard of JVC. That is Japan Victor Corporation. You know RCA. So when we cut them off it created a problem. 

     Germany on the other hand knew that the US would side with England. It is funny that Russia and China were US allies in WWII. Then became enemies after the war. Germany and Japan became allies. Go figure! There are still a few WWII vets around. But they are getting to the 90 years of age bracket and dying off. If you have a chance check out the old movies on Turner Classics. You will see that these folks were just as cool or even cooler then we are.

     During the late thirties and forties the US was developing the Atomic bomb. FDR knew. But even the vice president didn't. The Germans were working on one too. But they didn't quite get it done. Good thing as they would have used it frequently. 

     FDR's sudden death in 1945 put Truman as President. He had to make the choice to use the atomic bomb. When they first tested it they did not know if it would blow up the whole world. Causing a chain reaction. Well it did not destroy the world. Not yet anyway. It is estimated that there would have been a million troops lost in a land invasion of Japan. So they nuked them. 

     So FDR was President for four terms. Longer then any other. Through financial hardships, climate problems and ultimately war he led the country. He smoked cigarettes and drank whiskey. He was in a wheelchair. Most people did not know that as they tried to hide it. He had to be one of the best Presidents.