Franklin D. Roosevelt was truly one of America's greatest presidents. Regardless of nay hindsight or revisionist historical perspective assaulting his choices he was an integral part of America's recovery from two of the most devastating events of modern times, the Great Depression and WWII. "FDR may be credited with holding the nation together during the catastrophe of the Great Depression, patching together a welfare state American-style, and bringing a reluctant citizenry to support the embattled nations of Europe." [1] FDR was elected into challenging times and he prematurely left office, due to an untimely death during challenging times.
The New Deal legislation that helped end the Great Depression was a huge challenge overcome. Yet, arguably the most difficult times FDR faced were associated with WWII and especially the attack on Pearl Harbor. Public outcries were rampant as the news of Pearl Harbor hit the media and began to spread through graphic photographs of U.S. ships burning and other visual atrocities. The death toll was a striking blow to the American public, who had so adamantly attempted to remain isolationists
through the war in Europe. Yet, America had never been attacked in such a
way, on its own soil. The challenge for FDR became confronting an outcry
to respond to Japan's attack by declaring war on Japan or as Roosevelt
believed would be wiser, wage war against Germany and deal with her
Japanese ally at a later time. FDR had many obstacles to overcome in his
bid to enter WWII, after such a long and dogged attempt to stay out of it.
As political theorist and historian Fleming points out FDR had three
possible fights on his hands even before the real fighting began.
1. It would be difficult to persuade the antiwar leaders in Congress
and the nation that America, with its heritage of opposition to
colonialism, enshrined in the American Revolution and restated
...