- Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1937.
(1882–1945). The only United States president elected to the office four times was Franklin D. Roosevelt. In his 12 years in office, Roosevelt was both hated and loved. His opponents criticized him for the way he greatly expanded the powers of the federal government. Most people, however, hailed him for his efforts to lead the United States through two of the greatest crises of the 20th century: the Great Depression and World War II. Early lifeFranklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, at his family's estate on the Hudson River near Hyde Park, New York. He was the only child of James and Sara Delano Roosevelt. James Roosevelt was a wealthy landowner and railroad vice president. He had been a diplomat under President Grover Cleveland. Sara Delano Roosevelt came from an old merchant and shipping family. Franklin was tutored at home until he was 14 years old. Then he entered Groton School, a preparatory school in Groton, Massachusetts. In 1900 he enrolled at Harvard University. There he studied history, economics, languages, and science. At Harvard Franklin came under the influence of President Theodore Roosevelt, who was his distant cousin. The president's liberal ideas and strong leadership helped Franklin decide on a career in public service. During his Harvard days Roosevelt fell in love with Eleanor Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt's niece. She was actively involved in charity work for the poor in New York City. Franklin and Eleanor married in 1905. In the next ten years they had six children, one daughter and five sons. After graduating from Harvard, Franklin attended Columbia University Law School in New York City. He completed his studies in 1907 and began work as a clerk with a leading New York law firm. He soon found, however, that he was not much interested in the legal profession. Political careerEncouraged by his cousin Theodore, Roosevelt looked to start a career in politics. In 1910 he was elected as a Democrat to the New York state senate. In 1912 Roosevelt strongly supported New Jersey Gov. Woodrow Wilson for the Democratic presidential nomination. After Wilson won the presidency, he rewarded Roosevelt for his efforts by appointing him assistant secretary of the Navy. In the years before the United States entered World War I, Roosevelt worked for a larger and more efficient Navy. During the war he helped lead the Navy to victory over German sea forces. In 1920 the Democrats nominated Roosevelt for vice president. The party's presidential candidate was Gov. James M. Cox of Ohio. The Democrats were soundly defeated in the election. Afterward Roosevelt went back to his legal work in New York City. In 1921 Roosevelt was stricken with polio. The disease left him paralyzed from the waist down. He spent three years in recovery. These years of suffering helped Roosevelt to understand those who were the victims of misfortune. In later years he could walk a little but only by using a cane, with his legs in steel braces, and usually with someone's help. Roosevelt returned to public life in 1924. He was elected governor of New York in 1928 and was reelected in 1930. During his first term the United States fell into a serious economic crisis known as the Great Depression. Roosevelt introduced programs to provide relief to the unemployed and to help in economic recovery. His strong response to the economic problems in his state made him very popular. The presidencyThe Democratic Party nominated Roosevelt for the presidency in 1932. John Nance Garner of Texas was his vice-presidential running mate. With the depression worsening, Roosevelt promised a “new deal” for the millions of people who were suffering. He won an easy victory over his Republican opponent, President Herbert Hoover. Roosevelt received about 7 million popular votes more than Hoover. In the electoral college, Roosevelt won 472 votes to Hoover's 59. The New DealRoosevelt was sworn in as president in March 1933. By this time about 13 million people were unemployed in the United States. Many stores, factories, farms, and banks were closed or idle. Roosevelt immediately addressed these problems with the first phase of his program known as the New Deal. His emergency measures reopened the banks and created work for the unemployed on public buildings, road building, flood control, and other projects. By 1934 the New Deal reforms had produced some recovery. Yet Roosevelt knew he had to do more. In 1935 he asked Congress to pass additional New Deal policies—sometimes called the Second New Deal. A key measure of the Second New Deal was the Social Security Act, which provided unemployment relief and old-age pensions. Another was the Works Progress Administration, which provided jobs to millions of people between 1935 and 1941. Roosevelt was overwhelmingly reelected in 1936. He won nearly 28 million votes. His Republican opponent, Gov. Alfred M. Landon of Kansas, received less than 17 million votes. By the time Roosevelt began his second term in 1937, the economy had largely recovered. By 1938 the New Deal was coming to a close. Foreign affairsBecause of the Depression, Roosevelt spent much of his first term dealing with problems at home. Nevertheless, he still was deeply involved in foreign affairs. He launched the Good Neighbor Policy to improve relations between the United States and Latin America. Under this policy, the United States greatly reduced its intervention in Latin American affairs. He also supported agreements that encouraged trade between the United States and other countries. For years Roosevelt worked to awaken the United States to the dangers of war. He wanted to halt the aggressive policies of dictators in Japan, Italy, and Germany. Congress and the public, however, wanted the United States to stay out of international affairs. World War IIIn September 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland, beginning World War II in Europe. At the start of the war the United States was officially neutral. In reality, however, it was on the side of Britain, France, and Poland. In a special session called by Roosevelt, Congress agreed to send shells, guns, and planes to the British and French. In the summer of 1940 Germany invaded France. Afterward Roosevelt convinced Congress to increase aid to Britain and to strengthen the U.S. armed forces. In the fall of 1940 Roosevelt ran for the presidency for the third time. No other president had ever run for a third term. The Republican candidate was Wendell Willkie. Roosevelt won the election with 55 percent of the popular vote and 449 electoral votes to 82 for Willkie. After the election Roosevelt promised that the United States would be “the arsenal of democracy.” By this he meant that the United States would supply Britain and the other Allied powers with supplies to fight Germany and Italy. In August 1941 Roosevelt met British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at sea and drew up the Atlantic Charter. In this document the leaders pledged their countries to the goal of defeating the Nazis and defending democracy. On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed United States military bases in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The surprise attack brought the United States into the war against Japan, Germany, and Italy. Roosevelt decided to increase the size of the armed forces to 11 million soldiers. He also called on industry to produce enormous quantities of aircraft, tanks, and guns. Roosevelt and Churchill worked together to plan the Allied war effort at several meetings. Later Soviet leader Joseph Stalin joined them. An important conference took place at Yalta in the Soviet Union in February 1945. The Allies won the war later that year. United NationsMeanwhile Roosevelt had been promoting the formation of a new international organization to maintain world peace. He wanted to create a body that would be more effective than the old League of Nations. This proposed organization, known as the United Nations, was much discussed during the presidential campaign of 1944. Despite his declining health, Roosevelt was elected to a fourth term. He defeated Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York by a popular vote of 25 million to 22 million and an electoral college vote of 432 to 99. A meeting was scheduled for late April 1945 in San Francisco to establish the United Nations. Roosevelt planned to open the conference. On April 12, 1945, however, he died while resting at his cottage in Warm Springs, Georgia. The nation—and much of the world—mourned the death of a great leader. He was succeeded by his vice president, Harry S. Truman. |