Notable people are known for leaving positive influences on people's lives and the progress of humanity. Franklin D. Roosevelt is one such individual, leading the US through the Great depression and overseeing American involvement in the Second World War.  

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States of the Democratic party, born on 30 January 1882 in Hyde Park, New York. Motivated by his cousin (Theodore Roosevelt-who urged young men of fortunate backgrounds to enter public service), FDR managed to get elected into New York state senate in 1910. He gained statewide and some national attention by leading a Democratic rebellion who refused to support Bill Sheehan, a candidate for the US Senate backed by Tammany Hall-the New York Democratic Organization. FDR held his ground for 3 months until Tammany Hall was forced to switch candidates. A lot of significant events occurred during FDR's pre-presidential career, he became assistant secretary for the Navy and became a firm believer in military preparedness at the aftermath of World War 1. But in August 1921, FDR was on vacation in Campobello Island in Canada where was diagnosed with poliomyelitis and was almost completely paralyzed and lost the ability to use his legs- using crutches and a wheelchair. 

 

FDR was elected in 1932 at the height of the Great Depression and won 472 votes to 59 against Herbert Hoover. On his inaugural speech, FDR promised prompt, decisive action and instilled his own unshakable self-confidence into the millions of Americans listening on through their radios. "This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and prosper," he said, adding on, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". The Hundred Days was introduced, it was the first phase of Roosevelt's "New Deal". Roosevelt and his administration presented congress with a wide array of measures intending on achieving an economic recovery. The economic recovery had the aim of delivering relief to the poor and unemployed millions and reform aspects of the economy that FDR himself believed he collapsed. He was open to admitting that the thrust of the New Deal was a process of trial and error, by seeing what worked and what didn't abandoning the latter and persevering with the rest until there was success. 

 

Fast forward to World War 2, war had broken out between Nazi Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union. During the late 1930s, the US remained neutral, Roosevelt gave strong diplomatic support to China, Great Britain and eventually the Soviet Union. He supplied the Soviets with arms and Britain with wartime supplies like food, oil and materials. Throughout 1941, Japan negotiated with the US, seeking a restoration in trade- specifically petroleum products. The negotiations failed and Japanese military officials planned an attack on the United States. In secret, this is what Roosevelt wanted- back Japan into a corner and force them to wage war against the US and then enter into the European War in defense of Britain. By the end of November, Roosevelt knew an attack was coming as they had broken the Japanese code, but was unsure where they would attack. On December 7 1941, a 6-carrier Japanese strike group with over 420 aircraft bombed Pearl Harbour, Hawaii killing 2500 unsuspecting military personnel and civilians. Completely decimating the battleships of the Pacific Fleet. At Roosevelts request, on December 8, Congress declared war on the Japanese and 3 days later Germany and Italy declared war on the US. In December 1943 at a press conference, Roosevelts title as "Dr. New Deal" was replaced by " Dr. Win The War", as many New Deal agencies disappeared as war mobilization created more jobs that there were people to fill them. The effects of the Great Depression completely evaporated as mass government spending on war production. 

 

Roosevelt supervised the US war effort and implemented a lend lease program where the defeat of Nazi Germany was priority one. The Roosevelt administration also saw over the construction of the pentagon, a building built to watch over US national security and armed forces, the world's first atomic bomb and laid the foundations for the creation of the United Nations. Roosevelt's wartime leadership resulted in the US becoming a significant superpower on the world stage. He won the 1944 presidential reelection but three months into his fourth term, Roosevelt sadly passed away in April 12 1945. 

 

Yours sincerely, 

Trevor