• PBS
  • 45m
  • United States
  • English
  • Documentary
An in-depth look at the decade that defined a generation, from the stock market crash of 1929 to the recovery spurred by the coming of WWII, Americans came to grips with this disaster in The Great Depression.

4 episodes

Series Premiere

1x01 The Great Shake-Up

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Examine the changes that swept the shaken nation during the first year of the Great Depression, from the landslide victory of FDR in 1932, to the California migrations of Dust Bowl farmers.

1x02 Face the Music

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Faced with hard times, Americans sought release wherever they could find it, from marathon dancing to going to the movies. Using extensive film clips and photos, this episode shows how the media came of age to become an integral part of daily life.

1x03 Striking Back

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As the Depression lingered and the New Deal failed to live up to people's expectations, some American fought back against a system they felt had betrayed them. Illuminating rare footage and revealing interviews relive the desperate acts of people who had been pushed too far by the crisis.

Season Finale

1x04 Desperate Measures

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Finally, after years of crisis, World War II approached and did what all the protests and recovery programs failed to do – end the Great Depression.

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