On FDR and the New Deal.
The New Deal pulled us out of the depression. The TVA provided electricity, flood control, and a lot more, as well as creating jobs and economic stimulus. The CCC performed critical conservation projects, while reducing juvenile delinquency. The AAA helped stabilize farm production and prices, and eventually allowed farms to recover. The FDIC and SEC helped protect citizens from bank runs and failures, and stock fraud. In 1936, even with unemployment relatively high, Roosevelt was reelected by 11 million votes and won the electoral college 523 to 8. Obviously the people believed in the New Deal.
The New Deal started to flounder in the '37, and a recession hit. Why? The Conservatives gained power, mostly because the Southern Democrats hated Roosevelt for his statements against racism and expanding federal powers. So, they tried to force a balanced budget, which Roosevelt tried to implement. Taxes were raised while social programs cut. Business declined along with the stock market, unemployment was back up to 10 million. Roosevelt scrapped the balanced budget plan, because the economy couldn't support it (remember the Reagan era). The recession ended, unemployment was down, and the recovery continued until WWII.
On Yalta:
At Yalta, the agreement was that the Soviets could keep the Polish lands they had confiscated in 1940 in exchange for going to war with Japan. Remember, Japan was the big enemy, and without the A-bomb at the time it looked to be a long and difficult fight. Both Roosevelt AND Churchill thought they had done all they could, and did not feel they were appeasing Stalin. They even got a provision to ensure that democratic leaders from Poland be included in the new Polish government.
Let's face it; Russia took over Eastern Europe because they used diabolically brilliant strong arm tactics. They were evil, but like the Nazis, they were good at it. Read 'Armagedon' by Leon Uris; excellent book (but apparently out of print; someone got me a copy on ebay). The strategy and tactics of terror to allow the 'peaceful' takeover of Eastern Europe were astounding. But for a few brave souls, it would have spread to Berlin and West Germany. The Berlin Airlift finally stemmed the Red Flow west, and drew the line of the Iron Curtain. |
