Herbert Clark Hoover was installed as president in March 1929. When he became president, the country enjoyed economic prosperity. Six months later, everything would change. Hoover was born August 10, 1974 in West Branch, Iowa. His parents were rural Quakers. His father was a blacksmith and his mother a teacher. He studied geology and mining at Stanford University in that institution's first freshman class. He met a student, Lou Henry, in his geology class, whom he later married. After college, Mr. and Mrs. Hoover managed and organized mining properties in China, Africa, Europe and Western Australia. By the age of 40, Hoover was a millionaire. In 1914, the First World War broke out. Too old to fight, Hoover organized and assisted in the return of thousands of Americans stranded in Europe. That done, he turned his attention to Belgium. Belgium was hit hard by the war. People were starving and also lacked clothing and medical supplies. He created the Hoover Commission for the relief of Belgium. Over the next five years, his humanitarian organization operated its own fleet of around two hundred ships and transported more than five million tons of food to war-weary Belgium. The more than $1 billion he spent came from government loans and private donations. In 1917, the United States entered the war. Hoover was put in charge of food administration. His job was to curb war profiteering in the food supply. After the war, he was put in charge of the American Relief Administration, which was responsible for distributing medical supplies, food and clothing to refugees in Eastern Europe, including the Soviet Union. All his efforts were considered successful. John Maynard Keynes called Hoover...... middle of paper ......r public works. Through the Reconstruction Finance Cooperation, government loans were provided to some businesses. The economy continued to stagnate. Local and private relief funds were exhausted. Hoover, now in a dilemma, authorized direct federal spending for social purposes. Politically, it was too late for Hoover. His opponents had created the image of a president reluctant to help people in distress. It was a stereotype that Hoover did not like. He had succeeded in almost everything he had attempted. Now he knew failure! Works Cited Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty Volume 2. New York: Norton, 2009. History Book. Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia Volume 13. United States: Edward Haas, 2000. Encyclopedia. Hollitz, John, Steven M. Gillon and Cathy D. Matson. History 102 Volume 2. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003. History Book.