The Wall Street Crash; The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Two new titles from Hodder Wayland's series on turning points in 20th-century history, we are still feeling the repercussions of both these events - in Germany and throughout Europe, and in financial markets around the globe. The Wall Street Crash paints a vivid picture of the background to the financial mayhem that came at the close of a decade epitomised by jazz bands and speakeasies, by flappers and sporting heroes like Babe Ruth. It seemed as though the mood of optimism and prosperity could go on forever. There follows a dramatic account of events leading up to Black Tuesday, 29 october 1929, when $14 billion was wiped off the value of the stock market in a day. The repercussions of the Crash and the slide into Depression are clearly described, not just in the USA but around the world, particularly in Germany where the misery of mass unemployment was most strongly felt. If the Wall Street Crash can be seen as the trigger that helped divide Europe, the fall of the Berlin Wall, covered in the companion title, removed the last barrier to a united Europe. A more complex story perhaps, but Levy provides clear explanation of the political conditions that eventually led to the removal of a border that symbolised the divisions of the Cold War. Generous use of photographs, extensive glossaries, timelines and sources of further information including websites, all contribute to make these valuable resources for the school library.