Franklin Delano Roosevelt: A Hero at Home and Abroad Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States, and served for four terms from 1933 - 1945. During his time as president, FDR faced significant challenges both domestic and international. His responses to these crises made him one of the most influential people in history. FDR influenced world history by resolving the Great Depression through the expansion of the American government. Additionally, he changed the course of history by weakening the German forces in World War II and by authorizing the development of nuclear weapons. FDR helped rectify the economic turmoil that came about in the United States during the Great Depression. When FDR was elected president
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FDR proposed most of the legislation that composed the New Deal during his first 100 days as president. His first action was closing all banks for around a month. During this time, FDR addressed the nation over national radio and restored their faith in the banks. When the banks reopened, people had more confidence in the banking system and began to put their money back into the banks. Additionally, FDR helped combat the effects of the economic crisis by establishing the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, which helped increase farmers’ incomes through subsidies, and by increasing welfare and establishing other long term relief measures. In 1935, FDR helped pass another series of reforms, including the Social Security act and the Wagner act, which created working regulations such as minimum wage and maximum hours. Finally, FDR established the Works Progress Administration which employed an average of 2 million workers at a time, and he also greatly increased the tax rates for the rich and for corporations. With these new reforms, the economy was able to return to pre-Great Depression levels by 1937. These reforms not only helped alleviate the suffering from the Great Depression, but also radically expanded the influence of the US government in day-to-day …show more content…
In 1939, FDR was given letter from Albert Einstein outlining the idea that potentially deadly weapons could come from using nuclear energy. Upon receiving this letter, FDR authorized the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Uranium, which began research on nuclear energy. In 1941, the Uranium Committee was granted government funding, and in 1942 FDR specifically endorsed pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon in a letter to the head of the committee. In 1942, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR created a specific army division called the Manhattan Engineering District to help with the nuclear research. This was the official beginning of the Manhattan Project. In late 1944, FDR met with Winston Churchill and the two decided that an atomic bomb would be used against Japan. When FDR died in April 1945, and Harry S. Truman became president, Truman was informed of the Manhattan Project and the plan to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. Truman simply carried out these pre-existing plans, and in reality it was FDR who had biggest role in the eventual use of the atomic bomb. During his time as president, FDR was forced to surmount one of the most severe combinations of domestic and foreign issues in history. From resolving the Great Depression and increasing the powers of the United States government, to ending
FDR proposed most of the legislation that composed the New Deal during his first 100 days as president. His first action was closing all banks for around a month. During this time, FDR addressed the nation over national radio and restored their faith in the banks. When the banks reopened, people had more confidence in the banking system and began to put their money back into the banks. Additionally, FDR helped combat the effects of the economic crisis by establishing the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, which helped increase farmers’ incomes through subsidies, and by increasing welfare and establishing other long term relief measures. In 1935, FDR helped pass another series of reforms, including the Social Security act and the Wagner act, which created working regulations such as minimum wage and maximum hours. Finally, FDR established the Works Progress Administration which employed an average of 2 million workers at a time, and he also greatly increased the tax rates for the rich and for corporations. With these new reforms, the economy was able to return to pre-Great Depression levels by 1937. These reforms not only helped alleviate the suffering from the Great Depression, but also radically expanded the influence of the US government in day-to-day …show more content…
In 1939, FDR was given letter from Albert Einstein outlining the idea that potentially deadly weapons could come from using nuclear energy. Upon receiving this letter, FDR authorized the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Uranium, which began research on nuclear energy. In 1941, the Uranium Committee was granted government funding, and in 1942 FDR specifically endorsed pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon in a letter to the head of the committee. In 1942, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR created a specific army division called the Manhattan Engineering District to help with the nuclear research. This was the official beginning of the Manhattan Project. In late 1944, FDR met with Winston Churchill and the two decided that an atomic bomb would be used against Japan. When FDR died in April 1945, and Harry S. Truman became president, Truman was informed of the Manhattan Project and the plan to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. Truman simply carried out these pre-existing plans, and in reality it was FDR who had biggest role in the eventual use of the atomic bomb. During his time as president, FDR was forced to surmount one of the most severe combinations of domestic and foreign issues in history. From resolving the Great Depression and increasing the powers of the United States government, to ending