'''Franklin Delano Roosevelt''' was the 32nd [[President of the United States of America]] from 1933-45. He presided over the majority of the [[Great Depression]], which did not end until the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]]<ref>[http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/Unemployment_300g15.gif Unemployment Graph during the Great Depression]</ref>, and led the United States in [[World War II]] against the [[Axis Powers]]; he built the '''[[New Deal Coalition]]''' of voters and interest groups which dominated American politics into the 1960s.
He is still fondly remembered by the great hero to liberals but castigated by conservatives for his ill-fated attempt shifting the nation to deal with the left, growing the federal government, imposing regulations on business, following a no-growth economic policy, catering to labor unions, and building a permanent [[Great DepressionNew Deal Coalition]]. {{Friedman-roosevelt-depression}}On the other hand, conservatives admire his string military leadership that led the Allies to victory in record time in World War II.
His [[New Deal]] was a very large, complex interlocking set of programs designed to produce '''relief''' (especially government jobs for the unemployed)<ref>[http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/commentary/130/entry/ Works Progress Administration (WPA): One Failure to End the Great Depression]</ref>, '''recovery''' (of the economy), and '''reform''' (by which he meant regulation of Wall Street, banks and transportation), as well as reelection Reelection (in 1936, 1940 and 1944) and realignment Realignment of the political system[[Fifth party System]]. Conservatives strongly opposed many, but not all, of the New Deal programs. Conservatives abolished most of the relief programs when unemployment practically ended during World War II. Most of the regulations on business were ended about 1975-85, except for the regulation of Wall Street by the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]], which still exists. The major surviving program is [[Social Security]], which Congress passed in 1935.
Conservatives at the time denounced his bids for presidential power, including building a national political machine through the [[WPA]] (it lasted from 1935 to 1943), attempting to take control of the Supreme Court by adding new liberal judges (an attempt which failed, 1937), and trying to purge the Democratic party of conservative congressman (an attempt which failed in 1938). The failures of those attempts can be attributed to the [[Conservative Coalition]]which emerged in Congress in 1937 as a coalition of most Northern republicans and most Southern Democrats.<ref>There were very few Southern Republicans in office.</ref>.
After 1938 FDR turned his attention to [[World War II]]. He was a strong supporter of [[China|Nationalist China]] under General [[Chiang Kai-shek]] against Japan; most conservatives agreed on that point. FDR also was a strong supporter of military aid to Britain. Conservatives split on that, with the "isolationists" (like [[Robert Taft]]) opposed, and "interventionists" (like [[Henry Stimson]] ) in favor. Once Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. into the warin December, 1941; all conservatives then strongly supported the war effort and . They generally approved FDR's military leadership, although they were highly critical of his close cooperation with [[Stalin]] and the Soviet Union.
He FDR was the first and only President to be elected four times, breaking the traditional two-term-limit precedent established by [[George Washington]].<ref> Tradition was restored by the 22ndAmendment 22nd Amendment in 1947.</ref>
Roosevelt's health failed rapidly in 1944-45, even as he ran for reelection. He died On April 12, 1945. Despite polio which permanently crippled him starting in the early 1920s, he exuded a sense of confidence and hope for the future that made for a charismatic personality.
Conservative scholars have argued that some relief efforts actually helped to prolong the [[Great Depression]]. However, World War II brought a return to near full employment for every sector of the economy. The amount spent on the New Deal before the war was less than the $21 billion borrowed by the government over two years during World War I.<ref>David M. Kennedy, ''Freedom From Fear,'' page 178</ref>
FDR worked very closely with his military advisors, and followed their strategic advice. His stated policy was fostering diplomatic relations with Britain, the Soviet Union, and the Chinese Nationalists, and helping with [[Lend Lease]] supplies of food and munitions.
In February 1944 Congress rejected Roosevelt's demand for a $10,500,000,000 tax increase and cut it to $2,300,000,000. Roosevelt vetoed it saying this was a "bill not for relief of the needy but of the greedy." Senator [[Alben Barkley]], Democratic leader, rose on the floor of the Senate to say the veto was "a calculated and deliberate assault upon the legislative integrity of every member of Congress." The entire Senate united in a roar of applause. Barkley declared that after seven years of carrying the [[New Deal]] banner for Roosevelt, he would resign his post as Democratic majority leader and he called on the Congress to preserve its self respect and override the veto. The Senate overrode it 72 to 14 and the House 299 to 95.
Roosevelt had his closest election in 1944, with a subdued contest that was decided by turnout of FDR allies in the cities and labor unions, and increasingy among soldiers.
== Fourth Term ==
:''See also '''[[Yalta conference]]''''' At the [[Yalta conference]] in February 1945, victory was in sight in Europe. A [[reparations]] commission was set up to help repay Russia from German assets. The key arrangements allowed Soviet control Everyone realized that the conquest of Eastern eastern Europeby the Red Army guaranteed Soviet dominance, but efforts were made to get promises of fair elections; the promises were made, but the elections were never held. Roosevelt, in despite his failing health, seemed to think that he and Stalin would personally iron out any difficulties after the war ended. FDR persuaded Stalin to promise to enter the war against Japan 90 days after Germany surrendered. ; Stalin did so. Stalin was an ally ==Failure of Japan by virtue of the Matsuoka pact up to that point."competitive administration" == In February 1944 Congress rejected Roosevelt's demand for used a $10,500,000"competitive administration" strategy to maximize presidential power at the cost of confusion,000 tax increase delay and cut it inefficiency. He made sure in each policy area that several top officials had overlapping jurisdictions. They would feud and have to $2bring the problem to FDR,300who wanted to make every final decision. For example,000,000. Roosevelt vetoed it saying this was a "bill not for relief of in the needy but case of the greedy." Senator [[Alben BarkleyPWA]]relief program, Democratic leaderthe competition over the size of expenditure, rose on the floor selection of the Senate administrator, and the appointment of staff at the state level, led to delays and to say the veto was "ultimate weakness of PWA as a calculated recovery instrument. [[Harold L. Ickes]] headed the PWA (as well as the Interior Department), and deliberate assault upon FDR set it up so that Ickes had to continuously fight other top adminsitrators like [[Lewis Douglas]] (the legislative integrity budgest director), [[Henry A. Wallace]] (Secretary of every member Agriculture) and [[Harry Hopkins]] (head of Congressrival relief efforts)." The entire Senate united rivalries were just as fierce for other top adminstrators, many of whom resigned in a roar frustration and (like [[Hugh Johnson]] and [[Raymond Moley]]) even became enemies of applauseRoosevelt. Barkley declared that after seven years of carrying the <ref> [{Dean Acheson]] and [[New DealLewis Douglas]] banner for Rooseveltalso resigned in anger but kept quiet, he would resign his post as Democratic majority leader and he called on the Congress allowing FDR to preserve its self respect and override bring them back during the vetowar. The Senate overrode it 72 to 14 vocal ones were entered on an enemy's list and permanently barred from serving the House 299 to 95nation. </ref>
Roosevelt kept up his divisive strategy during the war, causing enormous confusion and contradictions in economic mobilization. It got so bad that FDR had to publicly humiliate Vice President Wallace and relieve him of all responsiblities. The Navy found a solution, as Admiral [[Ernest King]] deliberately kept FDR in the dark. Even when his fleet was threatened by the Japanese at Midway in May 1942, and King urgently needed the help of the British Navy, he decided not to ask because the request for help would have to go through Roosevelt and King refused to allow the White House to learn what dire peril the nation faced. Lucky for King--very lucky--he won a terrific victory at Midway.
== Reflections on Christianity ==
As [[World War II]] broke out in Europe, FDR warned:
:"Those forces hate [[Democracy]] and [[Christianity]] as two phases of the same civilization."
The following year, on May 27, 1941, FDR stated in one of his radio addresses:
*Alter, Jonathan. ''The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope'' (2006), popular [http://www.amazon.com/Defining-Moment-FDRs-Hundred-Triumph/dp/B000Q6GY1W/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881373&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Beschloss, Michael R. ''The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1941-1945'' (2002). [http://www.amazon.com/Conquerors-Roosevelt-Destruction-Hitlers-1941-1945/dp/0743244540/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881516&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Black, Conrad. ''Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom'' (2003). popular excellent [http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Delano-Roosevelt-Champion-Freedom/dp/1586482823/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881865&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search], by a conservative writer
*Brands, H.W. ''Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt'' (2008)
* Burns, James MacGregor. vol 1: ''Roosevelt" The Lion and the Fox'' (1956); [http://www.amazon.com/Roosevelt-1882-1940-James-MacGregor-Burns/dp/0156027623/ref=sr_1_2/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881949&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search vol 1]; vol. 2: ''Roosevelt: Soldier of Freedom 1940-1945'' (1970), [http://www.amazon.com/Roosevelt-1940-1945-James-MacGregor-Burns/dp/0156027577/ref=sr_1_3/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881949&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search vol 2]; major interpretive scholarly biography, emphasis on politics; vol 2 is on war years and is [http://www.historyebook.org/ online at ACLS e-books]