The Great American
Franklin Roosevelt in 1944
The Great American
Franklin Roosevelt is the only one stories United States a man who was elected president for four consecutive terms. He became the greatest American president of the 20th century. His name entered not only American but also world history. Roosevelt became a member of the "Big Three".
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was naturally endowed with a great love of life and undying optimism. This helped him when Roosevelt fell ill with polio and was no longer parted from his wheelchair. These character traits also helped the United States to emerge from the incredibly difficult Great Depression (when hundreds of thousands of people died from the "American famine" alone) and become winners in World War II.
Franklin Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882. Franklin came from a rich and famous family, whose ancestors came from the Netherlands and had already given the United States President Theodore Roosevelt. The future president was born to James Roosevelt and his second wife, Sara Delano, who belonged to the high society of the United States.
As a child, Roosevelt often traveled with his parents around Europe, mastered a number of languages. Until the age of 14, he studied with the best teachers at home, then studied at a privileged school in Groton (Massachusetts). In 1900-1904, he received a law degree from Harvard University. Then he studied at Columbia University. In 1905, he married a girl from his circle, a distant relative, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. His wife played a huge role in her husband's political career, especially when he fell ill, being his "eyes and ears."
He successfully began his political career – in 1910 he was elected to the New York State Senate from the Democratic Party. In 1911 he was initiated into the Freemasons, which is a common thing for the American elite. Through various Masonic lodges, as well as clubs with similar tasks, people undergo “initiation”, “selection”, and get the necessary connections.
During the presidential campaign of 1912, he actively supported T. V. Wilson. He was noticed and offered the post of assistant secretary of the navy (he held this post until 1921). In 1914, he unsuccessfully tried to get into the US Congress. In 1920, Roosevelt unsuccessfully ran for vice president of the US from the Democratic Party. The decline of the influence of the Democratic Party and a serious illness temporarily removed Roosevelt from his political career. Roosevelt spent six years struggling with a serious illness.
In 1928, he was elected governor of New York, which opened the way to the White House. He served two terms as governor, gaining unique experience as a manager. Already as governor, Roosevelt paid great attention to the construction of the most important facilities. And if the planned deadlines for any of the facilities were violated, the governor personally intervened.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs the Emergency Banking Act (March 9, 1933)
"New Deal"
Roosevelt and his advisers understood that the future belonged to a planned economy. In the presidential campaign of 1932, in the conditions of an economic crisis, Roosevelt won a convincing victory over G. Hoover. A brilliant orator and journalist, Roosevelt turned to American history, convincing that the state can and should help everyone. During the election campaign, Roosevelt, with the support of the "brain trust", outlined the main ideas of socio-economic reforms, which were called the "New Course".
It must be said that a number of Roosevelt's "New Deal" methods copied the experience of National Socialist Germany and the Soviet Union. He was also influenced by the program of the right-wing, conservative politician Huey Long (now compared to Donald Trump), who supported Franklin Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential election and was assassinated in 1935.
The essence of the "New Deal" was to curb the market forces that benefited a few (when the rich get richer and the poor get poorer) and to introduce a planned beginning. As early as 1920, the young politician declared: "We are against the influence of money on politics, we are against private control over the finances of the state, we are against treating people as commodities, we are against starvation wages, we are against the power of groups and cliques." Therefore, the common people supported Roosevelt.
When Roosevelt took office in March 1933, the United States was in the throes of financial and economic collapse and was threatened with social and political catastrophe in the form of revolution or civil war (Great Depression and World War II).
Roosevelt managed to convince the wealthy class that it was better to share the super-profits with the rest of the population than to lose everything during the revolution. Before Roosevelt, there were no pensions, social security, or unemployment benefits in the United States. It was during the implementation of Roosevelt's New Deal that the United States created a "welfare society" that made the United States a "semi-socialist" state, a "sign of capitalism."
This state existed in the USA until Reagan (1980s), when "socialism" in the USA began to be dismantled, since there was no longer a threat from the USSR. The dismantling of the "signboard of capitalism" especially accelerated in the 1990-2000s, when the middle class began to disappear, many poor and poor social groups appeared (often from migrants), completely dependent on benefits, state support and charitable foundations. And the rich and super-rich became even richer.
Actually Under Roosevelt, the United States as we know it emerged. The world's leading economy, the richest military-industrial complex, a huge fleet, a powerful bureaucracy, influential and strong special services. At the same time, an attractive image of the United States emerged - the "American dream". A free country, a country of opportunity, where any person from the lower classes could make a fortune, become famous.
A powerful middle class was formed, the consumption level of which was the benchmark for the entire planet. At the same time, the American nation was a nation of workers, engineers, builders, pilots and sailors, and not the pampered, degenerate consumers of the 1990s and 2000s.
Roosevelt's course differed very favorably from Hoover's activities. Under Hoover, economists used methods that are well known to us from the liberals' practices of the 1990s and 2000s. This was a reduction in government spending ("optimization"), strict budget control, a contraction of the money supply, etc. All this led to poverty and hunger for millions of people, the death of many thousands of poor people, although America was a rich country capable of providing a normal life for its people.
Roosevelt said:
"The people asked me to introduce discipline and show the way under my leadership. The people made me the instrument of their will. In the spirit of the gift, I accept it...".
He went for the introduction of elements of a planned economy and socialism. Roosevelt understood that it was impossible to give full power to the "sharks of capitalism", who in the overwhelming majority solve only their own or narrow group problems. It is necessary to increase the role of the state in the economy. Under Roosevelt, a minimum wage was established by directive, a social insurance system was introduced, and trade unions received the legislative right to collective agreements with employers.
The state regained control over finances, which irritated financial capital. The president could turn on the printing press without fear of emission, which was used to revive the economy. The money went to workers and farmers, who, by buying American goods, supported industry, saving the United States from a crisis of overproduction.
Allied leaders on the terrace of the Citadel in Quebec during the Quebec Conference of 1943, which discussed the strategy of opening a Second Front in Europe and other Allied actions against Germany (such as increased bombing). From left to right: Canadian Prime Minister William Mackenzie King, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Governor General of Canada the Earl of Athlone (Alexander Cambridge Athlone). August 1943
Large government projects
Much attention was paid to large infrastructure projects, such as the comprehensive transformation of the Tennessee River Valley (TVA). The Tennessee River Valley was one of the most backward regions of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. The region's economy was based on agriculture with primitive agricultural technology. Frequent destructive floods of the Tennessee brought huge losses. Industry was extremely weak. The river had rapids that made navigation difficult. In terms of the level of development of industry, agriculture, transportation, communications, education and related infrastructure, the Tennessee River Valley was an underdeveloped region.
The first hydrotechnical structures on the river were built during the First World War. Expanding the production of explosives, the government decided to build a plant for fixed nitrogen, which required a large amount of electricity. However, after the end of the war, the project stalled. The project's ardent opponents were private energy companies, who feared competition between future hydroelectric power plants and private power plants, and chemical companies, who feared competition from state-owned mineral fertilizer companies. Private entrepreneurs opposed the project, which was of national importance.
Congress tried to revive the project in 1928 and 1931, as interest in river control and reservoirs on the Tennessee River, part of the Mississippi Basin, grew after the devastating Mississippi River flood of 1927. However, Presidents Coolidge and Hoover vetoed the project because it was deemed economically unfeasible.
Only Roosevelt's victory revived the project. The program was based on: the creation of a hydrotechnical hub with a large power plant; regional development of the watershed; social change of the area. Already in the first year of the TVA's existence, 28 thousand local residents were employed, in the second - about 100 thousand, and subsequently - up to 200 thousand people.
In the 1930s, six large dams and many smaller ones were built. The emergence of a powerful energy base in the Tennessee Valley automatically led to the development of various energy-intensive industries, primarily the chemical industry, plants for the production of fixed nitrogen, fertilizers and explosives, as well as electrometallurgy.
During the Second World War, the project was actively developed. The capacity of the TVA power plants became the largest supplier of electricity for the military industry. The aluminum industry grew significantly, as aviation industry and other military producers have sharply increased demand for this metal.
In the city of Alcoa, an aluminum rolling mill was established, which produced aluminum sheet. Alcoa became the largest center of aluminum production in the United States during World War II. Other branches of electrometallurgy also developed: the production of metallic manganese, ferroalloys and electric steel. Fertilizer production and other branches also developed.
This "energy heart" helped launch the US nuclear project. Thus, one powerful project became a flagship that gave impetus to a whole series of industries and turned a backward region into one of the advanced ones.
Roosevelt invested a lot of money in the military-industrial complex, in the creation of new weapons. This allowed the United States to become one of the leading (along with the USSR) military powers. The American military-industrial complex is still the flagship of the US industry, allowing the country to be a world leader. They actively developed aircraft construction and shipbuilding (aircraft carrier fleet). The United States became the leading naval power.
The DC-3 Douglas aircraft laid the foundation for modern passenger and transport aircraft. The US builds good fighters and strategic "flying fortresses". The US is the first to create helicopter manufacturing. Automobile manufacturing is actively developing. With government money, a huge step was made in radar and radio communications, hydroacoustics, telephony and television.
The pinnacle of the military-industrial complex will be the Manhattan Project of 1941-1945, which will create an atomic bomb and open a new era in the history of mankind (atomic). All this allowed the United States to become a "superpower" after 1945. If it were not for Stalin's empire, which was even more effective in implementing large-scale projects, the United States would have no enemies on the planet.
Roosevelt spent money on public works, employing the unemployed in work camps. Roosevelt signed a law creating the Federal Emergency Administration for Hunger and Unemployment Relief. In 1934, the Civil Works Administration (CWA) was created, which used the labor of almost 4 million unemployed people. The Civil Works Administration (CWA) did not exist for long, but it managed to build and repair tens of thousands of kilometers of roads, thousands of schools, hundreds of airfields.
At the same time, the Administration funds paid for the work of tens of thousands of teachers and people of intellectual labor, which allowed the intellectual potential of the country to be preserved. In addition, the Civil Works Administration established a fairly high wage for workers at that time: 30 cents per hour. This encouraged private workers to pay no less.
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at the Yalta Conference. February 1945
Cooperation with the USSR
Already during the years of the Great Depression, a large number of American engineers and designers helped the USSR in the matter of industrialization. With the help of the Americans, naturally not for free, large giants of Soviet industry and energy were built. During the years of the Second World War, the two great powers continued their fruitful cooperation.
It is not surprising that Roosevelt (like many of his advisers, who often used the experience of the USSR) sympathized with Stalin. Roosevelt and Stalin had to solve similar problems. Although the tasks of the American president were easier, the United States had a better starting potential than Russia in the 1920s. Industrialization in the United States had already been carried out. Where Stalin had to act harshly, Roosevelt could get by with emissions and state credits.
To solve historical problems, both leaders acted with equal determination. Stalin and Roosevelt personally delved into all the details of military-technical construction, and did not skimp on scientific and technical programs. The calculation was simple and wise: by investing money in promising areas today, everyone will win tomorrow.
Stalin noted in the summer of 1934 that "of all the captains of the modern capitalist world, Roosevelt is undoubtedly the strongest figure," and pointed to his "initiative, courage, and determination." It is clear that the USA and the USSR were competitors, rivals, but this did not prevent Stalin and Roosevelt from understanding each other.
By 1936, Roosevelt had led the United States out of a terrible crisis. It is not surprising that Roosevelt easily won the elections in 1936 and confidently won in 1940. Although Roosevelt ran for president for the third time, breaking the tradition that had been established since the time of D. Washington of no more than two terms as president. From that moment on, Roosevelt switched almost entirely to foreign policy. During the war in 1944, Roosevelt was re-elected for a fourth term.
Roosevelt's "New Deal" was subordinated to a super-goal - US world domination, the American New World Order. For this, a world war was needed. For this, the most powerful navy and air force were built, the military-industrial complex was developed, and the nuclear weapon.
The American part of the international financial capital was fomenting war in Europe and throughout the world, including the Pacific Ocean, where the Japanese Empire was to be the "battering ram" (the instigator of the war). In Europe, big capital from the USA and England supported Adolf Hitler and the "European Union-1" project (the Third Reich). The attack on Pearl Harbor was a provocation by the USA to enter the war (Why Japan attacked the United States).
The world war was supposed to destroy Germany, Japan and the USSR-Russia, destroy Europe and the colonial empires in order to open their markets for American goods and services. The dollar and American goods were supposed to dominate the planet. The dollar after the war was supposed to become the world currency, and the USA – the only superpower, which with its powerful air and sea fleet, nuclear weapons could bring to its knees anyone who did not understand the rules of the game. In essence, the States were being transformed into the American Empire – the main command post of the so-called “world behind the scenes” (financial capital).
The program was implemented, but not according to the maximum option - it was not possible to crush the USSR, to solve the "Russian question". However, it was possible to make Germany (completely after the unification of the FRG and the GDR), Japan, key powers of Europe and the Asia-Pacific region semi-colonies. Only with China there was a blunder, there the communists won with the help of the Russians.
The colonial empires of Britain and France were successfully undermined. The countries that freed themselves from colonial rule mostly entered the financial and economic, and often political sphere of the USA. The dollar became the main world currency (What is US hegemony based on??).
Roosevelt played a huge role in this process, but he was a personality and brought the factor of a historical personality into global politics. Apparently, this played a fatal role in his fate. Since their personal communication at the Tehran Conference (Roosevelt lived in the Soviet embassy), Roosevelt and Stalin had developed a certain mutual understanding about the need for peace on the planet, the solution of global and regional problems based on the rapprochement of capitalism and socialism.
As a result, the Yalta Conference dealt a blow to the interests of part of the Western elite, especially the City of London, whose interests were expressed by Churchill, was offended. The Moor has done his job, the Moor can go. Even such a great man as Roosevelt.
On the afternoon of April 12, 1945, while posing for his portrait, Roosevelt said, "I have a terrible headache," and was then carried to his bedroom. The president's cardiologist, Howard Bruenn, diagnosed a massive cerebral hemorrhage. At 15:35 p.m., Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage at age 63.
There is a version that Roosevelt was murdered. As the personal physician of the American president, Dr. McIntyre, testified, regular examinations of Roosevelt did not reveal any signs of sclerosis of the cerebral arteries. It is also interesting that an autopsy was not performed, and the body was not exhibited for farewell, according to the posthumous order of the president. Already in 1948, in the book by E. Josephson "The Strange Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt" the opinion was expressed that the president was shot.
The fact that Roosevelt was killed is indirectly confirmed by the fact that immediately after his death the US political line in relations with the USSR changed by 180 degrees. The West took a course for the Third World War – the “cold war”. Truman took a course for a tough confrontation with the USSR.
Usually, a successor continues the old political line for some time simply by inertia, so as not to make a mess. Truman immediately changed course. Those American politicians who were not aware of the change in the general course did not even understand why they were doing it. Thus, the US Special Representative in Moscow, W. Harriman, noted: "President Truman thoughtlessly entered into an unnecessary confrontation with the Russians." Although Truman was simply fulfilling the will of the real owners of the USA. Roosevelt, with his policy of understanding the interests of the USSR, was no longer needed. And he died at the right time.
On April 14, at 9:50 a.m., a train delivered Roosevelt's coffin to Washington. At the station, it was placed on a gun carriage, covered with the Stars and Stripes, and seven gray horses carried it through streets packed with people (according to police, up to 400 people were present) to the White House for the farewell ceremony.
Information