The Great Depression lasted approximately from 1929 to 1939, spanning about a decade. It began with the stock market crash in October 1929 and continued through the 1930s, with severe economic downturns, high unemployment, and widespread hardship across many countries, especially the United States and Europe
. In the U.S., the most acute phase of the Depression was from 1929 until about 1933, when industrial production and GDP fell drastically and unemployment reached about 25%
. The economic recovery was gradual, and the Depression is generally considered to have ended around the time the U.S. entered World War II in 1941, which spurred economic growth and job creation
. Thus, the Great Depression lasted roughly 10 years, from late 1929 to about 1939 or early 1940s depending on the region and economic indicators considered
