The blizzards that devastated the West eventually ended when every farmer and rancher in need of bulldozer crews had received the required assistance. Life began to return to normal for the people who experienced the extreme hardships evident throughout that infamous winter, but the effects remained in the consciousness of the leaders who had to react to those challenges. One reason the blizzards of 1949 devastated the West was because state and federal governments had no methodical approach to deal with natural disasters. They could not offer an organized response to national emergencies in which local, county, and state governments required assistance to save livestock and human residents.

Introduction -- 1. The beginning -- 2. Wildlife and agriculture -- 3. Here comes the Army -- 4. Mercy flights and "Operation Haylift" -- 5. Reservations -- 6. Railroads -- 7. Health -- 8. End of the ordeal -- Conclusion.