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No president in American history had a more significant impact on both American and world history than Franklin Roosevelt. He transformed the very concept of what a democratic government should do for its people, what rights its citizens have, and even what constitutes fundamental human rights for ALL people. In his battle to save democracy from fascism, to protect freedom and justice, he used every weapon at his disposal; his charisma and mellifluous voice; the power of the federal government; radio, newspapers, magazines; and boisterous rallies. All to shift public opinion in favor of supporting an ally in desperate need.

FDR faced an enormous challenge in convincing Americans they had a moral responsibility to rise to the occasion.

Yet at the core of all of Roosevelt’s weapons were his words. His words brought hope to a desperate world, comfort to those suffering hunger and deprivation, and a vision of a better world for those crushed by totalitarian oppression and hatred.

As Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum for some years, I was able to delve into the collection (more than 17 million pages of documents, 10,000 pieces of art, 25,000 artifacts, 50,000 books), and experienced firsthand the power and impact of his words and deeds. Over time I came to understand a deeper truth – his remarkable success rested on a profound belief in the American spirit, the soul of America.

Much of the Roosevelt narrative seems incredibly relevant today. Nearly every major issue he dealt with in the 1930s and 1940s is still a part of our daily lives: global conflicts, weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, income inequality, environmental degradation, propaganda and misinformation, authoritarianism, health care, social safety nets, racism, and antisemitism.

Over a two-year period, from September 1939 until January 1942, President Roosevelt persuaded the world that free people could overcome the terror of mechanized militaries controlled by brutal totalitarian governments. Understanding why and how FDR was able to confront and conquer the grave challenges America faced then provide lessons for us today in an America struggling with dangerous factions bent on undermining democracy.

Today’s political environment, where violent militias spout fascist ideology and antisemitism, is directly descended from the America First Committee that emerged during the lead up to World War II. Neo-Nazi protestors wearing “Camp Auschwitz” T-shirts and shouting “We Will Not Be Replaced” threaten attacks on Jews and deface synagogues in tactics that mimic the brown-shirted Stormtroopers of Hitler’s Germany.

Now, as then, the spread of disinformation to undermine democracy and encourage racist, anti-immigrant, and antisemitic conspiracy theories poses an imminent threat. Hitler’s invasion of Poland and the powerful political groups who opposed support for England and France are reflected today in political and media figures opposing aid to Ukraine in its existential battle for freedom and democracy.

“Certain techniques of propaganda, created and developed in dictator countries, have been imported into this campaign,” FDR said during his campaign for president in 1940 about the information war he was fighting. “It is the very simple technique

of repeating and repeating and repeating falsehoods, with the idea that by constant repetition and reiteration, with no contradiction, the misstatements will finally come to be believed. They are used to create fear by instilling in the minds of our people doubt of each other, doubt of their government, and doubt of the purposes of their democracy.”

This specific period of Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency reveals how FDR confronted isolationists, fascists, and anti-immigrant politicians with a clear vision for a better world. His hope that Americans would rise to the challenge of defending democracy was built on the founding principle of the United States, the commitment to fight for freedom.

When Hitler plunged Europe into the chaos of World War II and the British Empire teetered on the brink of collapse, the future of democracy rested on one man’s shoulders. Franklin Roosevelt battled fierce resistance as he sought to provide support for Great Britain in its time of desperate need. The handsome and world-famous aviator Charles Lindbergh emerged as Roosevelt’s nemesis, and led the isolationist opposition to the president’s efforts. Lindbergh spoke for many, and his allies included FDR’s own Ambassador to Great Britain Joseph Kennedy, media titan William Randolph Hearst, and automobile tycoon Henry Ford.

President Roosevelt had his own allies, chief among them Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The two men forged a transatlantic partnership hailed as the most important alliance in American history. Roosevelt’s team of advisors and writers included Harry Hopkins, a New Dealer who became the president’s closest advisor; Judge Samuel Rosenman who started helping FDR with his speeches in the late 1920’s and the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Sherwood who added poetry and passion to Roosevelt’s prose. And of course, his wife Eleanor Roosevelt, the most influential first lady in American history. All helped him in his fight for the soul of America and the battle between democracy and fascism.

During his 1936 campaign for reelection, Franklin Roosevelt told his supporters that “This generation has a rendezvous with destiny.” That simple phrase set the tone of Roosevelt’s leadership for the rest of his life. Alone among American leaders he foresaw early on the danger Hitler and fascism posed for democracy and freedom around the world. While many, including Charles Lindbergh, praised Hitler and his resurgent Germany as the world struggled through the Great Depression, Roosevelt saw a madman intent on global domination. Most Americans wanted nothing to do with war in Europe, and FDR faced an enormous challenge in convincing them the United States had a moral responsibility to rise to the occasion and embrace its destiny as a superpower.

Amid drama, conflict, and tension, Franklin and his team confronted entrenched antipathy and impossible deadlines as they labored to change public opinion. Night upon night, Winston Churchill and the British people struggled to survive bombing raids Hitler believed would break that nation’s spirit. A German invasion seemed imminent. If the United States did not provide military supplies, food, and fuel the British Empire would fall. President Roosevelt strained against the

strictures of the Neutrality Acts, which prevented him from providing arms to belligerent nations. The campaign to win the hearts and minds of Americans took place on the battlefield of public opinion, primarily delivered by way of radio and the print media.

FDR’s opponents also relied on mass media and political rallies, often with clandestine support from Nazi Germany. Soon after the invasion of Poland, Lindbergh utilized his boyish charm, good looks, and heroic status to rally millions to his cause. His passionate belief that America should remain neutral arose from his profound admiration for Germany, his disdain for Great Britain, and a hidden but deep antisemitism.

Lindbergh’s strong opposition to war echoes his father’s pacifist stand during World War 1, when he was one of only a handful of congressmen to vote against the Unites States entry into the war. He also harbored resentment toward the freedom enjoyed by the press, having suffered under the glare of tabloid flashbulbs after the tragic death of his infant son. One reporter went so far as to sneak into the morgue to photograph the murdered baby’s corpse.

Franklin Roosevelt had faith in the American people, and fought back with words of his own. His devoted writers and advisors helped him construct a compelling and persuasive case against fascism that encouraged people to believe in democracy and its future.

The alliance between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, forged in the fires of war, defeated the forces of hatred and oppression and created the world we live in today. It is a world that is far from perfect, but also far from the mass murder and destruction of the mid-twentieth century. My hope is that Franklin Roosevelt’s belief that the American spirit will rise to any challenge when freedom is threatened will inspire others as it has inspired me.

FDR Takes On Lindbergh and the Isolationists

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