Franklin D. Roosevelt: The New Deal, World War II, and the Great President Who Shaped the Postwar World Order

Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, is the only U.S. president in history to serve four consecutive terms. This article explains in detail his implementation of the "New Deal" to overcome the Great Depression, defeat domestic isolationism, and lead the United States to victory in World War II, as well as his key role in establishing U.S. hegemony and shaping the post-war world order, especially the concepts of state intervention and global cooperation involved in the 8values political ideology test official website.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 - April 12, 1945), referred to as FDR, is often called "Little Roosevelt" in the Chinese world. He was the 32nd president of the United States (term: 1933-1945), and the first and only president in U.S. history to serve four consecutive terms (died in the fourth term). Roosevelt has been voted the best president of the United States many times, and in 2006 was ranked fourth among the 100 people who influenced the United States by The Atlantic Monthly.

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Early Career and Trials in Politics

Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, into a wealthy and ancient family in Hyde Park, New York, USA. His father, James Roosevelt I, was an active figure in diplomacy and business. Roosevelt's distant uncle, Theodore Roosevelt, was the 26th President of the United States.

After receiving an enlightenment education from his mother, Sara Ann Delano Roosevelt, Roosevelt studied with a tutor and his life was strictly controlled. In 1896 he was sent to Groton School, which aimed at educating politicians. In 1900, Roosevelt entered Harvard University where he studied political science, history and journalism. While at Harvard, he was keen on social activities and served as editor-in-chief of the school magazine "The Crimson Newspaper." In order to maintain his reputation, he also spent an extra year as a graduate student at Harvard University.

In 1904, Roosevelt entered Columbia Law School. In March 1905, he married Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the niece of his uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt. The president personally attended the wedding, which inspired Roosevelt's determination to enter politics. After graduating from law school in 1907, Roosevelt began practicing law.

In 1910, Roosevelt entered politics as a Democrat and was elected to the New York Senate. In 1913, he was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson, a post he held for seven years, during which time he advocated building a "strong and capable Navy." After his unsuccessful bid for vice president in 1920, he returned to law practice and business.

In August 1921, while on leave, Roosevelt contracted polio (or Guillain-Barre syndrome), which left him permanently disabled. But he did not give up his ideals and kept exercising unremittingly, facing challenges with perseverance and optimism. With his wife's support, Roosevelt returned to politics in 1928 and served as governor of New York State (1929-1932).

Responding to the Crisis and the New Deal

In 1932, as the Great Depression swept the United States, Roosevelt ran as the Democratic presidential candidate, proposing a platform for implementing the "New Deal" and revitalizing the economy. He successfully defeated Herbert Clark Hoover and became President of the United States in 1933.

On March 4, 1933, Roosevelt made his famous declaration in his inaugural address: " The only thing we fear is fear itself ." He immediately actively promoted the "Roosevelt New Deal" with relief, reform and rehabilitation as its main content.

Economic Measures and Concepts of the New Deal

The "Roosevelt New Deal" abandoned traditional laissez-faire (Laissez-faire), strengthened government intervention in the economic field , implemented deficit finance, and vigorously developed public utilities to stimulate the economy. He formed a think tank with a group of liberal experts and scholars, and innovatively used "fireside chats" to maintain close contact with the people.

The main measures of the New Deal include:

1. Rectify the financial system : implement bank closures for rectification and restore bank credit, aiming to stabilize the financial capital market. He also pursued inflationary monetary policies and deficit fiscal policies, and announced a devaluation of the U.S. dollar to improve the competitiveness of U.S. goods in the international market and stimulate exports.
2. Strengthening industrial guidance : Passing the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA), etc., aims to prevent overproduction caused by blind competition. The wage standards and working hours stipulated in it also play a role in expanding consumption and alleviating social conflicts.
3. Adjust agricultural policies : reduce agricultural output and stabilize agricultural product prices through incentives and compensation.
4. Promote "relief for work" : establish public projects and other measures to expand domestic demand, stimulate production development, and redistribute through state regulation.

The New Deal of 1933 to 1934 focused on "revival," while the New Deal of 1935 to 1939 focused on "relief" and "reform," such as social insurance, widespread public works, and tax reform. The success of the New Deal led to the gradual and comprehensive recovery of American industry and agriculture, and a substantial increase in national income.

Battle with the Supreme Court

The New Deal encountered resistance during its implementation, especially from the conservative U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court struck down 12 major New Deal bills. To address this challenge, Roosevelt proposed the "Court Packing Plan" in 1937, which aimed to inject "fresh blood" by expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court (from nine to 15). Although the plan failed in Congress, the Supreme Court's subsequent about-face, and the retirement or death of seven justices within the next five years, allowed Roosevelt to nominate new justices of his own will, almost completely reshaping the Court.

Defeating Isolationism and the “Arsenal of Democracies”

Internationally, facing the German, Italian, and Japanese fascists forming the source of war in Europe and Asia, the Roosevelt administration launched a complex diplomatic struggle.

Good Neighbor Policy and Great Power Recognition

Before the outbreak of war in Europe, Roosevelt recognized the Soviet Union (USSR) in 1933 and established diplomatic relations with it. At the same time, he proposed the "Good Neighbor Policy " to improve relations with Latin American countries. This policy advocates that no American country should interfere in the internal affairs of another American country and pursue reciprocal trade agreements economically. Although the United States retained economic dominance and control over the region, the policy contributed to the resurgence of Pan-Americanism, culminating in the creation of the Organization of American States.

Preparations for the Anti-Fascist War

Due to the prevalence of isolationism in the country, the U.S. Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which prohibited the United States from exporting weapons and credits during wartime. Roosevelt fought resolutely against isolationism.

In 1937, Roosevelt delivered the "Quarantine Speech" in which he pointed out that war would spread like an infectious disease and that society had the right to quarantine patients, but his remarks were severely criticized. Subsequently, he urged an increase in naval construction fees and promoted the passage of the Vinson Act to Expand the Navy (Vinson Act) in 1938.

World War II broke out with Germany's invasion of Poland. Roosevelt successfully persuaded Congress to abolish the embargo and implement the "cash and carry " principle, allowing belligerents to purchase non-military supplies in cash and ship them on their own ships.

In 1940, the British and French forces were defeated and Britain was in danger. Roosevelt began to provide weapons to Britain and took the presidential election as an opportunity to break the tradition established by President George Washington not to serve more than two terms and was successfully elected for the third time.

In early 1941, Roosevelt proposed the Lend-Lease Act , arguing that the United States must become " the great arsenal of democracy ." The act took effect in March of the same year, authorizing the president to lease weapons and equipment to countries related to U.S. security. The passage of the Lend-Lease Act was an important milestone in the United States' active intervention in the anti-fascist war. In August of the same year, Roosevelt and Winston Churchill held talks and issued the Atlantic Charter.

Allied leaders and the construction of postwar order

America's Participation in the War and War Mobilization

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (Pearl Harbor Incident). Subsequently, the United States and Britain declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States, and the United States officially entered World War II.

Roosevelt ordered the implementation of war mobilization, which rapidly expanded the U.S. military production capacity and achieved full employment. Before the end of the war, the number of U.S. armed forces personnel reached more than 15.14 million. He reorganized the military command structure and established the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Joint Chiefs of Staff) composed of George Marshall and others to implement unified command of the armed forces.

In December 1941, Roosevelt and Churchill held the "Arcadia" conference in Washington, reaffirming the Allied strategy of "Europe First", that is, defeating Nazi Germany first.

The formation of the international anti-fascist alliance

Under Roosevelt's initiative, representatives of 26 countries including the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, and China signed the Declaration by United Nations on New Year's Day in 1942, and the International Anti-Fascist Alliance was formally formed.

In the middle of the war, Roosevelt actively coordinated the combat operations of the allies and discussed post-war policies, and held a series of important meetings.

• Casablanca Conference (1943): Roosevelt and Churchill decided to implement the principle of "unconditional surrender" to the Axis powers.
• Cairo Conference (November 1943): Roosevelt, Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek, President of the Chinese Kuomintang and Chairman of the Military Commission, held in Egypt. The Cairo Declaration was signed, stipulating that the territory stolen from China by Japan should be returned to China and that Korea should gain freedom and independence.
• Tehran Conference (November-December 1943): Roosevelt, Churchill and Soviet Supreme Commander Joseph Stalin met to discuss issues such as opening a second battlefield in Europe (the "Overlord" plan) and post-war international organizations.

In 1944, Roosevelt was elected President of the United States for the fourth time with 53% of the vote.

Establish the United Nations

Roosevelt was a loyal Wilsonian and firmly believed that collective security was the ultimate goal of national security. He hoped to establish an effective international organization to maintain post-war peace.

In 1942, Roosevelt envisioned the establishment of an agency composed of the "Four Policemen" (Four Policemen) of the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, and China, responsible for maintaining world security and preventing aggression. Although difficulties were encountered in specific operations, this collective security idea gradually developed and eventually transformed into the idea of establishing a world-wide international organization .

In February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin held the Yalta Conference in the Crimean Peninsula. The meeting reiterated that Nazi Germany must surrender unconditionally and discussed important issues such as the disposition of Germany after the war and the United Nations. The conference ensured that the United States became a member of the United Nations.

Sudden death and historical legacy

On April 12, 1945, Roosevelt died of a sudden cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia. In his fourth term, he served only 73 days in office. His death occurred at the height of the war, at the very moment when U.S. policy most needed his authoritative guidance. Roosevelt's four consecutive terms as president were extremely important to the American political system and the world's anti-fascist war.

historical evaluation

Roosevelt is consistently ranked as one of the greatest American presidents of all time, often alongside Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.

• The then British Prime Minister Churchill spoke highly of him as a statesman, doer and military leader, and praised his "beating and generous heart."
• Some biographers believe that he "lifted himself from his wheelchair and liberated the entire country from surrender."
• His New Deal strengthened the federal government, rapidly expanded the role of government in the United States, and redefined liberalism in the minds of future generations. Roosevelt also firmly established America's leadership role on the world stage.

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Character controversy

Roosevelt's legacy was not without controversy:

1. Civil Rights Issues : His civil rights record was controversial, particularly during World War II when he ordered the internment of Japanese, Italian, and German Americans in 1942 (many were not released until after the war).
2. Concentration of power : Due to his long tenure as president and his rapid expansion of government power during two major crises, he has been accused of authoritarian tendencies to consolidate power.
3. Pearl Harbor "bitter tactic" : There is a "rūse" view in the world. It is believed that in order to get rid of the obstruction of domestic isolationist forces, Roosevelt foresaw and "allowed" the Pearl Harbor incident in advance, thus angering the American people's emotions and successfully participating in the war. Supporters cited evidence of redeployments from aircraft carriers and secret mobilization of medical supplies in advance. However, due to the lack of the strongest direct evidence, this idea remains an unsolved mystery.

Anecdotes and Memories

Roosevelt was a leader full of personality and left behind many anecdotes and important memorial sites:

• Stamp collector : Roosevelt started collecting stamps at the age of 10 and continued throughout his life, with a collection of more than 1.2 million stamps. During his tenure as president, the number of stamp collectors and stamp sales in the United States increased significantly. He even personally participated in the design of several stamps.
• 'Dogs care' : During the 1944 presidential election, Republicans attacked Roosevelt for sending a destroyer to rescue his dog, Fala. Roosevelt boldly responded: "I don't care about Republican attacks, my wife doesn't care, and my son doesn't care, but my dog Farah does!" This quickly changed from reactive to proactive, winning him the support of voters. Today, there is a statue of Farah next to the Roosevelt statue in Washington.

Roosevelt's face appears on the U.S. 10-cent coin (the "Roosevelt 10 Cent"). His former residences, including his home in Hyde Park, New York, and his retreat in Hot Springs, Georgia, have become important memorial sites. In addition, to commemorate his contribution to the anti-fascist war and assistance to China's Anti-Japanese War, the "National Roosevelt Library" was established in Chongqing, and is now open to the public as the "Roosevelt Library Site".

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