| − | As war threatened, American Under Secretary of State [[Sumner Welles]] claimed over the radio that President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] had sent a personal message to [[Mussolini]]<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr13.htm President Roosevelt to the Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) with a Message to Mussolini], Telegram, September 27 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427).</ref> and one to [[Hitler]] begging him to intervene and that, on this request, Mussolini had done so. As a result, Hitler had halted his soldiers and sent an invitation to Chamberlain to come to Munich. Five days later Secretary of War [[Harry Woodring]] made the same claim. And the White House secretariat put out a record of all the messages from the President synchronized with the events in Munich to prove that Roosevelt had turned the scales for peace. Later, in the 1940 campaign, [[Republican]] presidential challenger [[Wendell Willkie]] charged that Roosevelt had boasted of his part in the appeasement of Hitler. Secretary Hull denied this at the time, however Hull later admitted that Roosevelt did indeed send a "message to Mussolini" and one to Hitler<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr14.htm President Roosevelt to the Chancellor of Germany (Hitler)], Telegram, September 27 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427-428).</ref> encouraging negotiations. Hull wrote "whether the actions taken by the President brought about these results it is impossible to say. But undoubtedly they exercised considerable influence." Hull produced a letter from King George VI to the President saying "I have little doubt that your efforts contributed largely to the result." <ref>Cordell Hull, ''Memoirs,'' New York Times, January 26 to March 6, 1948.</ref> | + | As war threatened, American Under Secretary of State [[Sumner Welles]] claimed over the radio that President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] had sent a personal message to [[Mussolini]]<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr13.htm President Roosevelt to the Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) with a Message to Mussolini], Telegram, September 27 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427).</ref> and one to [[Hitler]] begging him to intervene and that, on this request, Mussolini had done so. As a result, Hitler had halted his soldiers and sent an invitation to Chamberlain to come to Munich. Five days later Secretary of War [[Harry Woodring]] made the same claim. And the White House secretariat put out a record of all the messages from the President synchronized with the events in Munich to prove that Roosevelt had turned the scales for peace. Later, in the 1940 campaign, [[Republican]] presidential challenger [[Wendell Willkie]] charged that Roosevelt had boasted of his part in the appeasement of Hitler. Secretary Hull denied this at the time, however Hull later admitted that Roosevelt did indeed send a "message to Mussolini" and one to Hitler<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr14.htm President Roosevelt to the Chancellor of Germany (Hitler)], Telegram, September 27 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427-428).</ref> encouraging negotiations. Hull wrote "whether the actions taken by the President brought about these results it is impossible to say. But undoubtedly they exercised considerable influence." Hull produced a letter from King [[George VI]] to the President saying "I have little doubt that your efforts contributed largely to the result." <ref>Cordell Hull, ''Memoirs,'' New York Times, January 26 to March 6, 1948.</ref> |