It was also at this point that Roosevelt doubled down on wilsonian principles, with his introduction of his new aims for the war: the Four Freedoms (Kissinger 389). He laid out these four freedoms --- freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from war --- as the goals of any conflict the United States would enter into. He proclaimed that Nazi war crimes and attacks on civilians were showing more and more than the safety of american values overseas was in jeopardy (Kissinger 389). This restated moral imperative meant that anything less than unconditional surrender from Germany would be unacceptable. This attitude led directly to the signing of the Atlantic Charter in August of 1941. The purpose of this accord was
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Without his careful guidance of a people who wanted nothing more than to pretend the oceans of the world were impregnable barriers, the outcome of WWII would have been very different. While his end goals were certainly Wilsonian, he was endlessly pragmatic, and would not let himself be deterred from the ends by his staunch ideals, as Wilson often had. Where Wilson had refused to build up the American military or institute a draft before entering the war, Roosevelt did years before the war. Where Wilson had insisted on treaties enforced by the common morality of the world, Roosevelt saw the need for some enforcement and limited retention of arms --- a view which is reflected in his ‘Four Policemen’ strategy. Roosevelt even went so far as declaring the United States an official Ally, something that Wilsonian neutrality would never have allowed. However, these compromises paid off, and would lead to huge US wartime accomplishments and the establishment of the United Nations --- a perfection of what Wilson had tried with his League of Nations. So while Roosevelt’s pragmatism may not have made him the most idealistic, he was certainly an excellent Wilsonian, and was able to spread Wilson 's principles to the world better than Wilson
Without his careful guidance of a people who wanted nothing more than to pretend the oceans of the world were impregnable barriers, the outcome of WWII would have been very different. While his end goals were certainly Wilsonian, he was endlessly pragmatic, and would not let himself be deterred from the ends by his staunch ideals, as Wilson often had. Where Wilson had refused to build up the American military or institute a draft before entering the war, Roosevelt did years before the war. Where Wilson had insisted on treaties enforced by the common morality of the world, Roosevelt saw the need for some enforcement and limited retention of arms --- a view which is reflected in his ‘Four Policemen’ strategy. Roosevelt even went so far as declaring the United States an official Ally, something that Wilsonian neutrality would never have allowed. However, these compromises paid off, and would lead to huge US wartime accomplishments and the establishment of the United Nations --- a perfection of what Wilson had tried with his League of Nations. So while Roosevelt’s pragmatism may not have made him the most idealistic, he was certainly an excellent Wilsonian, and was able to spread Wilson 's principles to the world better than Wilson