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Great Depression Intensifies
Great Depression Intensifies: The year 1932 was in the midst of the Great Depression, which began with the stock market crash of 1929. In 1932, the Depression deepened, with widespread unemployment, bank failures, and severe economic hardship affecting millions of people worldwide. -
The Bonus Army March
In the summer of 1932, thousands of World War I veterans, known as the Bonus Army, marched on Washington, D.C., to demand early payment of bonuses promised to them for their wartime service. The march escalated tensions with authorities and led to the eviction of the veterans from their makeshift camps. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt Elected President
In November 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the United States presidential election, defeating incumbent President Herbert Hoover. Roosevelt's victory marked the beginning of the New Deal era, as he sought to implement policies to combat the Great Depression. -
Gandhi's Hunger Strike
In September 1932, Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement, began a hunger strike to protest the British government's decision to segregate the "untouchables" within the Indian caste system. Gandhi's fast drew international attention to the plight of the oppressed caste. -
Amelia Earhart's Solo Transatlantic Flight
In May 1932, aviator Amelia Earhart made history by becoming the first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. Her flight from Newfoundland, Canada, to Northern Ireland marked a significant achievement in aviation history. -
Ford Hunger March
In March 1932, during the height of the Great Depression, thousands of unemployed workers marched to the Ford Motor Company's River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, to demand jobs and relief. The march turned violent when Ford security and police clashed with the protesters, resulting in injuries and arrests. -
First Nuclear Chain Reaction
In December 1932, physicist Enrico Fermi conducted the first successful nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago. This experiment laid the groundwork for the development of nuclear energy and ultimately the atomic bomb. -
Adolf Hitler Becomes Chancellor of Germany
On January 30, 1932, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg. Hitler's rise to power would have profound consequences, leading to the establishment of the Nazi regime and ultimately World War II.