Day 4 – World War II

During the years leading up to World War II, America were still recovering from the Depression and its affects on the economy. The address in 1939 could not have got it more wrong when they said that World War has been averted! The address went into great detail on how religion and democracy must be defended at all times. Although the people were assured that America was not at war, and had no intention of being at war, there was a call to increase the defences so as to be prepared for ‘quick attacks’. An ominous message considering what lay ahead, and bizarrely accurate. The country was still in debt but the credit system had improved so as to make it easier to get loans. The labour movement was created and taxes were increased. As in the 1914-1918 addresses, the railroad was still causing problems!!!

1940 seemed to mirror the address of 1915 with a reassurance again that America would maintain her friendship with other countries and will not be entering the war or making any foreign alliances. As seen before, the army and navy budgets were increased so as to grow their size and strength if only to maintain peace and protect democracy.  Unemployment was at its highest and the Trade Agreement Act was brought into being.

1941 saw a complete turnaround in opinion with the security of the USA in serious threat. The War in Europe was an ‘assault on democracy’ and the future of the USA was in serious danger. More funds were needed to build more ships and planes and munitions were to be made for other nations at war. Not only that, but these  munitions would be given to these nations with repayments for same to be organised at a later date and the repayments could be in goods not money. Again, an increase in taxes was called for to fund all of this. An interesting part of the speech was the call to ‘shame’ people who don’t agree and if that didn’t work, arrest them! So many books and movies have been written about World War II but for some it's the music that brings back memories, why not go over to your grandparents, make some tea and listen to their stories with this playing in the background --> Those Were Our Songs: Music of World War II

1942 saw a world at war and this was the subject of the whole address. It was the same in 1943 with a mention of the army population being increased from 2million to 7million.

In 1944 we saw a return to the more traditional State of the Union address. This year it was printed as the current President had flu! Again, security was a large part of the address but there was also a call for a change in the Tax Laws, War Contracts Law, National Service Laws and the Food Laws.