Comparing Howard Zinn’s “The People’s History of the United States” to typical high school history textbooks shows that history can vary depending on who’s telling it. Just like how different perspectives exist on events like the Banana Wars or the invention of the telephone, historical accounts can differ.
The new movie “Amsterdam,” starring Christian Bale, John David Washington, Margot Robbie, and Robert De Niro, tries to retell a lesser-known part of American history called The Business Plot.
This plot was a secret plan to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the early 1930s. While the director claims the movie reflects what really happened, “Amsterdam” seems more focused on entertainment than teaching history.
In 1933, the world was facing serious challenges. Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, and Japan fired the first thousand bullets from a machine gun. In America, the Great Depression brought hard times. After the stock market crashed in 1929, the US struggled to recover its economy.
Amsterdam is Based on A Real Story
By 1933, about 15 million people had lost their jobs, causing widespread unemployment. In Detroit, the Ford Motor Company cut over 90,000 jobs, leaving many families in dire straits.
The Dust Bowl further worsened conditions, leading over 300,000 people to migrate to California in search of work. Many neighborhoods became abandoned, and makeshift settlements called “Hoovervilles” appeared in garbage dumps nationwide.
The famous image of Florence Owens Thompson captured the hardships faced by many during this time. The movie doesn’t talk about the struggles of World War I veterans during this time. Many of them were out of work and couldn’t support their families.
In 1932, thousands of these veterans marched on Washington demanding the government pay them their bonuses early. This unrest played a big role in the 1932 presidential election, where Franklin D. Roosevelt won by a lot.
FDR promised a “New Deal” for Americans during his campaign. Once he became president, he called Congress for a special session and passed 15 major bills and 76 other laws in just 100 days.
However, many rich people didn’t like FDR’s plans. They worried that his policies, like spending money on social programs, would hurt the economy.
Things got really tense in April 1933 when FDR stopped using the gold standard for U.S. currency. This made Wall Street and wealthy businessmen worried because they thought it might cause inflation and make their money worth less.