(Brief Biography)


Franklin D. Roosevelt, also commonly known as “F.D.R.”, took office at the height of the "Great Depression". The Great Depression encompassed the 1930's as a period of economic hardship for the majority of the world. In the U.S., millions of people lost their jobs, struggled to afford food to eat, and became homeless. In reference to the terribly hard time the U.S. was in, "F.D.R.'s" Inaugural Speech included the line, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It was his way of telling the American People that, together, as a country, the U.S. could overcome the daunting challenge before them and not be afraid to face it head on.

“F.D.R.” was the fifth cousin to an earlier President, Theodore Roosevelt, who was often referred to as "T.R."  The Roosevelt Family was wealthy and well-known in New York, and much of the country. Before becoming President, he served in the New York state government, and as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. At the age of 39, he was stricken with polio, which kept him in a wheelchair for much of his life.

"F.D.R." was the only President to be elected four times. He took office during a terrible economic time in U.S. History called "The Great Depression". Most banks had gone out of business and unemployment was staggeringly high (nearly 25%). One in every four people in the U.S. was looking for a job, and wages were terribly low, even for the people lucky enough to have a job. This was not the first time the U.S. had experienced an 'economic downturn', but it was the worst, because of how many people were affected, and for the many long years it lasted.


Franklin D. Roosevelt gradually led the country out of the depression with many public works projects and programs that gave people jobs and an income. These projects and programs were designed to improve the country with improved roads, bridges, dams, and electricity production. In addition, there were programs for farmers, forestry, the arts, and other areas of need. Under Roosevelt's and Congress' direction, expensive 'infrastructure' projects were envisioned, then planned, funded with federal tax money, and begun.

The "Dust Bowl" as it was called, was a region of five farming states in the middle of the U.S. that experienced terrible drought (no rain) between the years 1930-1936. There was little to no rain over these years, and the farms' soil turned to dust. The top layers of this dry soil blew away in huge, blinding clouds of dust that travelled for hundreds of miles. Tens of thousands of families lost their farms to the banks when they could not produce wheat and pay their mortgages. The majority of these families migrated to California and other western states, thinking there was opportunity to work so they could at least feed their families. The hardships were horrific, and many people died of starvation or illnesses that could have been treated if they had money to pay for a doctor.

Though the Hoover Dam's planning and construction began before "F.D.R." took office (Herbert Hoover was still President), it was integral to the economic recovery from the depression and growth of the American Southwest. The dam holding back water from the Colorado River is actually built on the Arizona/Nevada border. This project cost $49 million in 1931. If it were to be built today, the Hoover Dam's construction costs likely would exceed several billion dollars.


This project helped store trillions of gallons of water in a reservoir (called 'Lake Mead') for farm crop irrigation and people's use in their homes. It was also designed to generate electricity as water passed through the dam. Even today, Hoover Dam is considered a marvel of engineering. Building the dam gave thousands of people jobs, which allowed them to feed themselves and their families. (Note: Just under 100 men reportedly lost their lives doing the dangerous work of building this dam, though the number may have been higher.) The dam, which spans the state borders of Nevada and Arizona, took more than 5 years to build, and was completed during “F.D.R.'s" Presidency.

To help stabilize the nation's economy, “F.D.R.” fought for the establishment of Social Security (savings for older people's retirement and health care), higher taxes on the rich, and controls on banks and public utilities like electricity, heating fuel, and water. Under "F.D.R.'s" leadership, which was challenged by his opponents (including Republicans in Congress and some justices on the Supreme Court), the Federal Government was granted the constitutional right to regulate the economy. “F.D.R.” called his collective plans for improvement of the social good, the “New Deal”, possibly inspired by "T.R.'s" "Square Deal" of the early 1900's.


“F.D.R.” made frequent radio addresses to the nation (before the age of television). He used them to report to the public at large what plans and projects his administration was working on. This was one way he used to reassure the public that things were getting done, and that life in the U.S. would be getting better. Posters were designed by government-paid artists and printed under the Works Project Administration, or "W.P.A.", and displayed all over the country, showing images of people at work on a variety of W.P.A. projects. “F.D.R.” tried, unsuccessfully, to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court. He wanted to change the number, from nine to thirteen judges, to help court challenges to his "New Deal" policies be decided in his favor.

When WWII broke out in Europe, “F.D.R.” tried to keep the U.S. neutral and out of the war. Roosevelt was afraid the American Public would resist going to war so soon after the end of WWI, which ended only about 20 years earlier. He was concerned he would be voted out of office by anti-war Americans in the next election. Despite repeated requests from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill for American military support of Great Britain, Roosevelt resisted. Germany's Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was determined to invade every country in Europe, the Middle East, Northern Africa and other regions once controlled by European empires like Great Britain and France. Hitler's army, "Luftwaffe" (air force), and navy "U-boats" (undersea boats) killed millions of soldiers and civilians, and enslaved others. During WWII, the Nazi's were responsible for the deaths of over 6,000,000 Germans of Jewish ancestry.

Great Britain, France, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Greece, Libya and countless other countries were attacked by Adolf Hitler and occupied by the Nazi Army. “F.D.R."'s response was to arrange for aid, supplies, and weapons, but not soldiers, to be sent by ships to Great Britain. “F.D.R.” still hoped he wouldn't have to send American Soldiers to Europe to fight. “F.D.R.” met with Great Britain’s Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, to listen to his concerns, but was hesitant to provide direct military support to help defend England and defeat Hitler and the Nazi Army of Germany.

Great Britain, France, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Greece, Libya and countless other countries were attacked by Adolf Hitler and occupied by the Nazi Army. “F.D.R."'s response was to arrange for aid, supplies, and weapons, but not soldiers, to be sent by ships to Great Britain. “F.D.R.” still hoped he wouldn't have to send American Soldiers to Europe to fight. “F.D.R.” met with Great Britain’s Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, to listen to his concerns, but was hesitant to provide direct military support to help defend England and defeat Hitler and the Nazi Army of Germany.


When the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii was attacked by the Japanese Air Force on December 7, 1941, “F.D.R.” dramatically called that day, "A day that will live in infamy." He then directed his administration’s and congress’s efforts toward fighting an all-out global war, meaning that the U.S. would send soldiers and support staff from all the Armed Forces to Europe, North Africa, and Asia.

After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt came under pressure from his White House advisors and military leaders to address the nation’s fears of further Japanese attacks on the west coast of the United States. The fear was that Americans of Japanese ancestry would assist Japan in attacking populated areas and military bases in California and other places. (Historians today would say this was an unfounded fear.) On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a Presidential Executive Order to force the imprisonment of all Americans of Japanese ancestry, approximately 120,000, living on the west coast of the U.S. into 'Internment Camps' (essentially outdoor prisons) for the duration of WWII (four years).

Scientific discoveries became very important in deciding the outcome of WWII. Historians have shown that Adolf Hitler made it a priority to employ scientists to develop an atomic bomb to to use against rival countries Germany was trying to wipe out. The U.S. War Department made great efforts to develop an atomic bomb as well. In the U.S., this was called the "Manhattan Project". This project, while incredibly expensive, was also enormous in scope and size. It employed thousands of American scientists and other specialists, and was conducted with great security and secrecy. The "Manhattan Project" was kept so secret, that even "F.D.R.'s" last Vice President, Harry Truman, knew next to nothing about it. The U.S. planned to use an atomic bomb, when ready, against Germany, but Hitler committed suicide and Germany surrendered before the working bombs were ready. The U.S., under Truman's orders, ultimately used two atomic bombs to defeat the country of Japan.

By the end of the war, more than 12 million soldiers and support staff had been involved, including more than 7 million in countries outside the U.S. The war had lasted several years. Finally, when the U.S. and its allies appeared to be heading toward victory, “F.D.R.” met with leaders from America's European allies, including the Russians (who, late in the war, were indispensable in helping defeat Nazi Germany in Eastern Europe). These leaders then began planning for the way the defeated nations would be governed, and for a United Nations organization that would work toward preventing future wars.

“F.D.R.” was the first President to appear on television. He was, however, during his long Presidency (a little over 12 years), very concerned about being photographed in his wheelchair. He did not want the American People, or leaders of rival nations to perceive him as weak. Stereotypes and prejudice were very powerful during his lifetime, and most people had been made to think that a person with a physical disability was 'debilitated' (weakened), which was far from what "F.D.R." was. There are very few photos or film clips of "F.D.R." in a wheelchair. He did a lot of physical therapy (exercise) and worked to strengthen his arms and shoulders so that he could support himself in a standing position while at a podium (a speaker's stand with microphones).

“F.D.R.'s” "New Deal” initiatives, and the favorable outcome for the United States in WWII, are credited for ending the depression in the United States, though it persisted abroad (in other countries) for many years. The majority of people in the U.S. experienced many years of economic prosperity after WWII. Prior to the end of WWII, and not too far into his fourth term as President, “F.D.R.” died of a cerebral (brain) hemorrhage.


As a direct response to “F.D.R.” being elected four times, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was ratified (passed by Congress). The 22nd Amendment limits the number of times a person is eligible for election to the Office of President to two terms. "F.D.R.'s" ideas and policies that became laws during his administration influenced the governing style of many future U.S. Presidents of the Democratic Party, including Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.

Sources:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
https://www.whitehousehistory.org/slavery-in-the-presidents-neighborhood-faq
https://www.biography.com/us-president
https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents

-Compiled by Henry Anker-