America: The Story of Us (Part 9: Bust)

The United States of America was built on hardship, sacrifice, and discovery. In 2010, the history channel have created this 12-part docu-series where it talks about many of those hardships, sacrifices, and discoveries.

This is part 9 of this 12-part wiki series about the History Channel docu-series. In this part, we will talk about the hardships of America's bust time during the Great Depression and other disasters, but coming out of it were great achievements.

## Bust

### More depressing times

The episode begins in New York where the great Depression would get a whole lot worse.

The year was 1931, and the Depression was in its 2nd year. A man then walked into the Bank of the United States and wanting to buy back all of his stocks, but because the bank was reluctant to give in to his choice, this would cause a panic.

This would create a crowd outside the bank with people who are also looking to buy back their stocks, but because the bank didn't want to lose their money, they brought in the police to suppress the crowd, but this economic fire has begun to spread throughout the nation as banks would close to the point where there would be states that don't have a single bank open. Unemployment would also skyrocket in the nation as millions would lose their jobs.

### Hurrying to build a structure

The episode now goes to Nevada where another monumental project is taking place.

The Colorado River is one of the mightiest rivers to run through the center of the Desert Southwest, but several people were planning for decades to try to build a dam in this region. In 1931, the project begins, spearheading the project is a man named Frank "Hurry Up" Crowe who is known to complete projects way ahead of schedule.

In order for the dam to be built, they have to divert the flow of the river away from the area they're building, they do this by building tunnels which allows the flow of the river to be diverted from the area around the proposed dam. This would create problems as it would also make for some workplace hazards such as carbon monoxide poisoning due to the trucks and bulldozers being in the tunnel. Nevertheless the workers work around the clock to make the tunnels.

After the tunnels were built, the main project begins, it takes around 5 years to build the dam, and it used around several million tons of concrete which would've taken a century to completely harden, but with the help from the Colorado River, the process would be finished faster, in fact Crowe lives up to his reputation as he completes the project 2 years ahead of schedule. Never before has a massive project was done. With the Hoover Dam complete it would create Lake Meade and even a city nearby; Las Vegas, and supply southern California with the nations produce.

### The Dust Bowl

The episode now goes to the central great plains where one of the most costliest disasters in American History would occur; the Dust Bowl.

By the 1930s, the rains in the Great Plains have virtually vanished and with farmers over-cultivating on their properties, this would create a huge natural disaster; a dust storm. With winds as high as 60 MPH blowing across the plains they would create these dust storms so thick, they block out the sun. Some of these storms would reach as far as Boston, turning day into night in the east coast cities.

Families that were living in the Great plains were plagued by these constant storms not only would this fill up a house with dust but would also create health problems in both short and long term, Dust Pneumonia was common among children who were treated sometimes daily for breathing problems caused by the dust storms, it also invited venomous bugs into homes as well.

The drought and dust storms got so bad that people had to move from the dry plains to better climates in the east or California, but most stayed and tried to ride it out.

### Another monumental project

The episode now goes to South Dakota where another monument was being built; Mt. Rushmore.

Beginning in 1927, Mt Rushmore was to be dedicated to the Presidents that made the United States the way it was. First, they make George Washington's face, then Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. They would drill holes on the side of the mountain and stick in dynamite so the carving of the faces were made precise. One time, lightning struck the detonator, but the worker escaped with only a bursted eardrum. It would take 14 years to complete, and they also laid the mountain with granite to reduce erosion.

### The fight of a lifetime

The episode goes back to New York where a boxing match would take place.

This boxing match was between American Joe Louis and German Max Schmeling. Schmeling was older than Louis so he was the one to likely lose the fight. Louis was the favorite and an icon of the African-American community and was expected to win.

Surprisingly, Schmeling would win against the odds in a knockout in 12 rounds, symbolizing that Germany was on the rise. But Louis wasn't going to take his defeat laying down.

Louis would train vigorously for the next 2 years so he can have his rematch with Schmeling, but the fight wouldn't be just a fight between 2 men, but between 2 different ideologies.

On June 22, 1938, Louis and Schmeling would have their rematch, but it was more than just a boxing match, it was a conflict 2 different ideologies one where it provides freedom to all, and another where they believe that the white ethnicity is superior and oppress other ethnicities. In just the first round of the fight, Louis would knockout Schmeling, making Louis a national hero once more where Schmeling would face public humiliation back in his home country.

But yet, America was still in its "bust" time where the Great depression continues. It seems that it would take a global conflict to get America out of its economical funk. But, one will come.

That'll do it for this part, in the next part we will talk about America's role in World War 2. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.