Dorothea Lange Gallery

Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange was born into a German family on May 26th of 1895 in New Jersey. Lange went to Columbia University in New York City and soon became a well known American documentary photographer who worked for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) (previously known as the federal Resentment Administration or RA). She was one of the most prominent photojournalists during the time of Depression. Her work is known to depict some of the Depression’s greater consequences including unemployment and homelessness. 

The photograph to the left, by photographer Dorothea Lange, depicts Oklahoma drought refugees in a migratory camp in California in 1936. The 1930s are known to have been one of the toughest decades of American history. This was the time of the Great Depression. Inhabitants of the Southern Great Plains were those most affected since many were farmers. These people underwent and endured dangerous sand storms known as "dusters". The Great Plains came to be known as the Dust Bowl. The causes are still questioned today but the consequences are unimaginable.

During this time of the Great Depression and The Dust Bowl banks were failing, businesses were closing and many workers became unemployed. Homelessness and unemployment were some of the greater consequences. While many stayed in their farms hoping to survive, others left. The unbearable conditions practically forced approximately three million plain settlers to move out of their farms. Many migrated to neighboring states, towns but also California. The boys above are part of the group known as the Okies, a derogatory term used to refer to Oklahoma residents. The evident issue was the dusters caused by drought, overproduction, lack of education and even advances in technology. The governments responsibility was to aid those in need of helps, especially the farmers. The only possible solution was what those affected did, leave everything behind and move on, maybe to somewhere new.

Trench Warfare

Trench warfare, a type of land warfare, occurs when two opposing armies are in battle and are forced to make trenches (or ditches) and fight from these positions. When trench warfare is necessary, it is because both armies are facing a stalemate. A stalemate is defined as, "a position counting as a draw, in which a player is not in check but cannot move except into check" and is basically when neither army could move up or down the battlefield. Despite the fact that trench warfare had been used in past battles, it was revolutionary when introduced and used on the Western Front in World War I. Being a soldier during this time was significantly difficult due to the fact that they had to endure with diseases, night patrols, raids, gas attacks, "shell shocks, etc. 



Trench warfare was first introduced in World War I in September of 1914 during the First Battle of the Marne, also recognized as the Miracle of the Marne. This battle was fought between September 5th and September 12th in Paris and resulted in an Allied victory. Modern weaponry hindered the armies from using head-on attacks and they were consequently forced to adapt to tench warfare. At first, this tactic was though to be temporary; however, due to its success, it became a crucial feature to World War I. The First elaborate trench line was 475 miles long. It was complete by November of 1914, with a starting point at the North Sea and ending point at the Swiss frontiet. This trench line ran through Belgium and France.

Despite the fact that trench warfare was a revolutionary tactic during WWI, it also introduced, not so new yet crucial issues. Before trenches were fully developed they were also used for protection; however, death was coming their way from other directions including: rat infestation, frog and rat diseases, etc.  Rats, both black and brown, infested the trenches during this time. They would eat the remains  of dead soldiers and often grew to be the size of cats. Rats were greatly feared considering the fact that they not only spread infections but ultimately contaminated food. Rats were capable of producing 900 offspring yearly, making this issue even more severe. Trench Fever and Trench Foot were two feared diseases. Trench Fever was detected by mild pain and fevers, the victims of this disease did not recover until having been at least twelve weeks away from the trenches. Trench Foot, on the other hand, was a fungal infection ultimately caused by unsanitary conditions in the trenches.