It’s poetic that Hitler, who was willing to kill political dissidents, the mentally unfit, and physically disabled, was defeated by a Communist, a depressed alcoholic, and a man bound to a wheelchair.
@@diegoaespitia wrong, the first u.s president George Washington said there will only be two terms served by all presidents. The founding fathers himself.
Ursine Monster8 Lunch is correct - Washington and Jefferson set a precedent by only serving 2 terms as President, but an official limit wasn’t set until much later. In fact, iirc some of the founding fathers-at least initially-advocated for no term limits when crafting the constitution. Since there wasn’t agreement in this, nothing was written about it in the Constitution. Washington never strictly stated 2 terms should be the limit; he stepped down after his 2 terms partly to set an example for future presidents but also because he didn’t really want to keep serving as President. He had done his time and fulfilled civic duty and was hoping to retire back to Mt. Vernon in peace.
@@Cowmoo83 still a totalitarian president for trying to include an extra 6 supreme court judges worsening the depression and adding more federal government. And having more then three terms. If you studied you know the judges he wanted to add in the supreme court would have given him power to stay in power as the u.s president
@@8bitprodigy145 FDR was certainly privileged, definitely socialist, but I don't think I've ever heard a single arguement in any textbook that doesn't directly credit him (through the New Deals 1-3 and mobilization of War Economy) with almost single handedly ending the great depression. I'd love to read your source though.
@@8bitprodigy145 Unfortunately, Ben Shapiro isn't a historian and doesn't have historical credentials, but if you can link to something that he has cited I would love to look into it - it's an interesting take for sure.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” the most striking and strong quote I personally think he ever had. The depth of what he meant at that time and how true it still rings today. Long live his legacy. Edit: and I’m surprised you didn’t mention that amazing quote that was said at his funeral and honestly shakes me all the time. A man asked a homeless man if he knew FDR and he replied “No. But he knew me”. Just cementing his greatness.
But literally he was a fear fongering socialist who tried to make a seconds bill of Rights. FDR sucked point blank and spat in the face of the constitution.
Roosevelt's legacy? Are you talking about the legacy of racism and bigotry. The legacy of interning Japanese citizens in camps during the 2nd World War? The idiotic idea of social security bankrupting our government even to day.
@Roman Roman Look, we can't judge past actions with modern morals or principals. Just because of woke culture, every political leader in the 20th century and before are condemned in spite of the great things he has done. People like F.D.R. and Churchill are disgraced. Churchill was always a racist and an imperialist, but it was rarely brought up before BLM. Racism was still the norm prior to the 1960s, so such an action would not have garnered so much attention as it would back then. I am not saying that what F.D.R. did was acceptable, but we need to understand the historical context before randomly calling him out.
My great grandparents were dirt poor and near starving at the beginning of the Depression. FDR gave my great grandfather a job. I never met the man but my mother tells me that every time he said grace he thanked God and Mr. Roosevelt. He even named his son after FDR.
My Father, who was born in West Virginia in 1923, was a life long FDR Democrat, they just don't make American Presidents like FDR anymore (especially that pathetic specimen we have in office at the moment, LOL)
@@omfug7148 The great depression was brought on by the federal reserve in a monetary expansion and contraction that they had complete control over. If you don't know that, you don't know anything.
Franklin Roosevelt inspires to this day. 4 terms as President took a toll on his health battling poliovirus and running a country is truly badass in my book.
@@OptimalCaress poliomyelitis stays with you I know I had an uncle who had this up until his death. Regarding the Roosevelt marriage it's none of our business but yes he's had a numerous affairs on Eleanor but it has been strongly rumored she carried on affairs with women and it was a cerebral hemorrhage he died from
@Auxiliary Stream Services What meme? That Imperial Japan was a murderous, racist and repressive emperor worshipping cult that sought to dominate Asia through killing, raping and torturing millions of Asians and westerners? Are you implying that that never happened? Go watch some Mark Felton videos, he's a credible historian who's an expert on WW2 era Japanese war crimes. You might actually learn why FDR embargoed Japan.
He was elected to 4 terms, he died at the start of his 4th term, one month after inauguration, so he actually served 3 terms and one month. Vice president Truman served most of FDR's 4th term. So stop calling FDR a 4 term president, he barely completed 3....
Cleveland was not the only one who thought that FDR wouldn't make it as President. the Governor of New York said after he was elected to his first term. "mark my word's he will be within one year". but he also was proven quite wrong.
I believe that FDR's disability made him more compassionate towards unfortunate people. My grandfather loved FDR. FDR gave him a job when he could not find one. FDR may have kept the USA from a revolution.
Mr. President, if your program succeeds, you'll be the greatest president in American history. If it fails, you will be the worst one." "If it fails," the new president replied, "I'll be the last one."
My great grandfather Leon Perskie was his photographer. Somewhere in my grandmothers house we have one of the only photos of him showing anything from the waist down (since he was very secretive about his polio). Humble man. Treated my great grandfather with a lot of respect, as his father drew his portraits when FDR was still running for governor. I have the picture in my photo library if anyone wants to see.
@@vojtechslezak4553 Like the one they did on 9/11, Mossad operation, Greater israel project, Oded Yinon Plan. Israel should have been wiped off the map a long time ago. Anyone who supports IsraHELL is a traitor who deserves death.
This man held the most stressful job on the planet during the most stressful time on our planet and did the best job any president did before him. Bravo sir bravo.
@Thegreatkingslayer I'm from the U.S so I'd be speaking English, and I agree that Roosevelt is the only president that could've led us through WW2. But the policies he enacted back home were far from democratic.
@@therealbomb_com8774 -- The Internment Camps were the work of an Underling while FDR worked on the war effort; and YES! if we had lost you would be speaking German or Japanese today.
@@josephwilliammarek9566 False. The Internment Camps were enacted BY Roosevelt by Executive Order 9066. And, no. The U.S would be annexed by the Germans, or not yet. It'd be made into a Fascist puppet and later be integrated into Germany. That would be around the 90's - 20's, for both Germany and Japan.
One thing I like about FDR was his relationship with Mackenzie King in Canada. They were good friends, and Mackenzie King became one of the first people in Canada to have an elevator put in his house, specifically so he could accommodate for FDR's affliction. Just bros being bros
Admirable. He tried when no one else wanted to. He failed A LOT, but he was willing to do what others wouldn’t and that’s try to fix the worst economic disaster in US history
Well at that time, the Democrats were the party of slaves and the south was dominated by them during Jim Crow and a lot of the North were Republican. Their ideologies flipped after that
Yeah Grover Cleveland Ran 2 Seperate terms the only One to do so He was our 22nd and 24th President Roosevelt: That's Cute I'll run for 4 Consecutive Terms I'll show you old man
This joke is a little controversial but I heard it a while back... please don’t hate me Why was FDR the least funniest U.S. President? His standup could have used some work.
Ken Fulton {Baby Elder} OHHHHHHHHHH NO YOU DIDN’T!!! 🤪😋😛🤓🧐🤨🤪 THE MAN COULDN’T STAND UP!!!!! DAMN, YOU’RE COLD!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA “STAND UP”?!?! WHO EVEN SAYS THAT?!?!
@Cool Dude FDR literally gave us our social safety net, fixed an infrastructure in shambles, and managed to spur mass economic prosperity despite the worst economic collapse in US history. Some may come close but I can't see anyone topping that. Kind of an unfair advantage having so many years in office but still an advantage nonetheless.
anthony lewis i really dont think you have any idea what socialism is. and why are you so butthurt to comment this on every post? cmon mate, you have better things to do.
not even close, he was well known for being an anti semite, he actually had a chance at one point to rescue 200,000 jews women and children and refused to allow them passage to the US, they persihed because he refused them help, read a few history books and watch his real bio, you would know the real man, he was also immoral as heck
This is definitely one of the most moving videos you've ever made, covering FDR as his legacy is popularly remembered today. Truly, a man of incredible charisma and inspired rhetoric. I will say that more nuance would have been appreciated... there is controversy as to how effective his policies actually were in practice, and the lingering effects they have today, but that would likely require its own feature length film to go into fairly.
I see you boy, down here in the forgotten depths of the RU-vid comments, lurking in the darkness like some cornered half-dead rat about to cease its very function
Both Roosevelt's were my favorite presidents, FDR however, always had a soft spot in my heart. He wasn't perfect, but he got things done. And thanks to him, I get Social Security Disability. If not for him, my diabetes and legal blindness would have destroyed me.
You know the USA is the most medically advanced and charitable nation in history, right? Social security is about the last thing you should be thankful for.
@@Lukeor Why? I'm 52 years old and I've been working since I was 12. I've been going blind since 2015 and if I don't work, I have no medical anything. Medicaid, ANOTHER FDR concept, has saved my life by helping with the costs of my insulin and medications for my glaucoma. I am thankful that however rich FDR was, he saw the suffering of ordinary people and did something about it. I gotta ask...you happen to own a MAGA hat?
@@Lukeor Wrong. The greedy, heartless, traitorous conservatives have been trying to eliminate Social Security by privatization since it was instituted, and outright eliminate Medicare and Medicaid.
Lukeor you may be the most advanced but you have the highest death rates for children in the developed world and poor access to the actual care. Plus the highest drug costs. What part of that should she be grateful for? Her taxes subsidised the development of drugs people can barely afford. I can’t tell if you are ignorant or just so pre programmed to hate anything from the government. As for charity, that’s not true either. Not in official aid or personal giving. China provides more aid and when measured by people or economy you slip again,
@@krednevalga1686 yes, there is. It's not mentioned that a lot of things he did were not legal, it was only after he'd appointed most of the supreme court that they finally let them go through. That single fact has forever changed the US, and not for the better.
Hearing/reading about past US presidents as a european is fascinating as this was never a topic in our regular school syllabus. I'm a big fan of the roosevelts and especially teddy seems to represent all the positives aspects of the US perfectly.
One of the best videos!! It’s a shame more people in office aren’t like him. They should follow how he led the nation in so many different ways. Even with his health not at its best, he was at his best when the country was at its worst 😔
What a great man. We can only hope that more like him are to come. He did make a few terrible missteps, though, which also should not be forgotten when we're talking about his overall greatness. His authorization of the Japanese internment camps and some of his foreign policy decision like the decisions he and Churchill made regarding Poland should be talked about as well. No man is perfect, especially when he has to make big decisions, and knowing that can guide the next great man to be even greater.
Rebecca Maracle He put minority’s in poverty and pretty much enslaved them under government programs, Roosevelt was one big and sucking racist who made the US govt so powerful that it never recovered after it
@@JohnSmith-oe5rx Racist, sure. I put more blame at the hands of Southern Democrats who Roosevelt needed to pass his programs, but it's clear he didn't care (at least much as Eleanor did). But his policies were racist in that they DIDN'T give assistance to people of color, not that they did. (Redlining, anyone?)
Every Democrat that I talk to always falls back on John F. Kennedy as the greatest example of a Democrat President they've ever known. Completely ignoring what FDR did, as a Democrat, to lead us through not only the Great Depression, but also the Second World War... It makes me want to cry that FDR served the country for as long as he did, and through two of its' biggest crises, and yet because one guy got tragically shot in the head on national television, he's the greatest president ever. Kennedy was a good dude. Don't get me wrong. But his accomplishments for the United States don't hold a candle to what FDR pulled off. Guess the only mistake FDR ever made was not getting assassinated, because the ignorance is unforgivable!
he was in fact a true socialist which was kept silent by most, other than people that knew him best, he was a disgraceful human being in private life, and refused to help rescue jews when he had the chance, he was an avid anti semite,
@@anthonylewis62 Okay, so he's technically a worse human being than Donald Trump. And yet, he served four consecutive presidential terms, and none of his malice, or terrible human nature, ever shined through his actions as President. In fact, the country became better off, because of him. Society's habit of villainizing the President of the United States, and projecting doom-and-gloom whenever "the wrong guy" gets elected, has no merit. Because American presidents are some of the LEAST powerful leaders in the world. Only with Congress standing behind them can they really make any lasting difference.
@@shindari the fact that he broke the 2 term rule showed his terrible human nature just to start with. The fact that he painted it as noble doesn't make it so.
@@joshduthie3401 The two term limit was not law until after Roosevelt. Before then, any president could have gone on for three or more, if they wanted.It's just that none of them did. Lincoln probably could have, but he was assassinated in his second term. George Washington could have, but he was just ready to retire after term number two. If any president tried for a third term nowadays, Congress would Impeach him without hesitation. Back in the 1940's, they did not have that legal power. It was only during the Eisenhower Administration that the 2-term limit officially became LAW. See: The 22nd Amendment
Seriously TR and FDR were men of a different age, honorable, strong morals, extremely empowering, and each one is an example of how humanity should act. In my mind TR was the American Tall Tail becoming reality(seriously this man was a legend above legends), and FDR was the true example of a leader, one who gives it his all and more even at risk to himself.
Grover Cleveland: "I just have one wish for you, young man. May you never become President of the United States" Kid FDR: "I'm gonna do it" Adult FDR after 4 reelections: "Maybe he was right"
It would've been interesting to mention the Japanese Internment camps in the U.S. I believe FDR had been quoted as saying that that was his greatest shame.
@@k.r.murphy4301 Maybe he regretted his actions before he died. Please don't quote me on this. I'm not sure who is the source, I'm just stating what I heard.
Honestly I don't think he even cared about seizing more political power when he ran for a third and fourth term. He knew he had to serve his nation and save it from itself. He knew he could guide the American people through crisis because they had more faith in him than probably any other president before or sense. Not being able to walk helped him understand how common Americans struggled. Some of his solutions weren't the best but at least he had solutions.
He was certainly thinking about power during those terms, or more specifically who would get power when he was gone. He made sure that it was not Henry Wallace and Progressives that inherited the party when he passed, he made sure it went to someone like Truman instead. And it was not his wheelchair that made him help the poor, it was fear of the violent revolutions happening between WWI and WWII in Europe coming to the US. He was fearful of revolt, not an altruist. Then before he died he made sure the party went to someone like Truman instead of someone like Wallace. He was not a champion of the people, he was a pragmatist making political calculations in order to stave off full scale revolt.
@Co M. If FDR's Supreme Court packing plan had been inforced it would be a good thing, cuz that would ahev balanced the court's decitions and would ahve taken partisanism out of the picture, also Little Grape asked Bad Cholesterol to elaborate on the idea that FDR was a socialist, you argue that he is a socialit by packing the court, and modifing a position of Government - in this case the supreme court - which doesn't have anything to do with Socialism which is an economical theory not a political one
I really like studying about US Presidents. I have read a lot of biographies and accounts of FDR, but this one gave me insights that I had never thought of before. Great Job, as always. I try to watch you every day and will continue to do so!
What's your favorite biography on FDR, I plan to read one but there are many. I was actually reading " Power Broker " by Robert Caro, it has a small shirt biography of FDR. That's how I got interested in FDR.
How sad FDR did not live to see the end of the war. He died not knowing if and when the troops would come home, and if and when Hitler would be stopped.
Another wonderful video! In fact I think it's your best one yet. I think that after each time I watch it. I wish I could like it more times than just once. Well done Simon!
Thanks to FDR I am alive. I suffered a brain tumor removal surgery, a stroke, and need to take 2000 dollars a month worth of antiseazure medication. To add to that I lost my job, and I am paying rent and food thanks to his New Deal. May he be blessed for all eternity.
What an amazing person. I don’t know a lot about American history but after watching these I think that FDR was the last President who truly unified the American people. I almost cried that he didn’t get to see the end of the war he worked so hard to win for. He’s one of my favorite American presidents now, the first one was Abraham Lincoln. ❤️
I have just spent the entire day revising this man, writing a 5,000 word review for my history a level in a week, what are the chances this would be uploaded tonight!?
Though both good and bad truly my favorite president. He had his issues, that were not covered, but pulled the country together in a time of need. Not perfect but what we needed when times were dire.
Yes. He will forever be remembered as a hero of World War 2. He truly was a great president despite his flaws. One of the best presidents America has ever had. May his memory be eternal.
@@PhillipCummingsUSA Not to condone what he did, but there was a real chance for americans to succumb to nazism. Antiemitism was rather popular in the us and many influential and wealthy people had business interests with the nazis. FDR was probably the only viable candidate that was popular and competent enough to stir US against the germans
The constant and persistent habit of historians across the generations to ignore the importance of Roosevelt's demand at the Casablanca Conference in 1943 for the Unconditional Surrender of the Axis Powers never ceases to amaze me.
Our generation, and generations to come, around the world, must forever, until the end of times, thank this man for his great work in service of Humanity. Those were the golden years of the United States of America. Unfortunately, days which are long gone.
Good show Simon. Keep up the good work. Maybe do one about a native American like Roman Nose or one of the less heard of. Maybe an old West one like judge Roy Bean someone who isn't told much about
The Roosevelt museum in Hyde park is really something. It's really cool to see where he was raised it's on a beautiful hill overlooking the Hudson. I visited it with my father and really enjoyed it.
Guys, it was called the Yalta conference not the Malta conference. Yalta is in the Crimea, in the then USSR. Malta is a small island in the Mediterranean sea.
@@williamkesler2373 True. But Simon clearly says the "big three" in Malta in February 1945. This is wrong. The big three (Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt) was definitely in Yalta in February. The Malta conference was only between Roosevelt and Churchill in late January. They screwed that fact up.
Honestly murica is due a great one just by the amount of recent bad ones.The streak has to end.Even dying Byzantium had Alexios Komnenos to keep it going another couple centuries.
It's uncommon to find a president whose greatest flaw was that he had an affair and stayed in a loveless marriage to save face. The man served over a decade in the most stressful job of our nation and lived through the most stressful times of global history; the flu pandemic, WWI, the Depression, WWII. Amazing.
Didn’t mention his court packing controversy. It’s lucky he was so even-handed because he basically ran the country through force of personality, steamrolling everyone in his path. It’s a rare man who could do what he did and leave our country stronger.
FDR was easily my favorite president of the US. I've been waiting on this one. It would be amazing if you would eventually do Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire, the last emperor of the Pax Romana, a stoic philosopher, and a ruler who had very unique views for his time.
FDR a man that makes both Americans and the rest of us around the world proud! He is still such an inspiration for all of us especially during this era of divisiveness and stagnation
Really out of all of the President's In History Mr. Franklin Delano Roosevelt" will always be my most Favorite" President" of all times and so far he still the one... (01-23-2022)... Thank you Mr. President...
Arguably the greatest President in our history and yet, his continued elections caused Congress to pass the 22nd amendment which limits Presidents to two terms. Guess what it doesn't limit to two terms... yeah... Congress is not limited.... I love my Country, I fought for my Country, I will continue to stand by and believe in my Country but we truly need to limit all high level leadership to two terms so as to ensure that we once again become what we first intended to be....
@8 Bit Prodigy-- I understand how that looks to people living in the 21st century-- us-- but 90 years ago things were *very* different! A POTUS who was more concerned about citizens starving than the southern racists behaving the same way they always had wasn't seen as odd. Most white northerners didn't understand the plight of blacks in the south. And, let's be honest about this, most whites didn't care. They didn't know any black people, except the occasional maid or gardener, and since they were white and it wasn't happening to them, it didn't matter. Racism was "normal" for that time, no matter how harshly we judge them for it now. When we study history we MUST be aware of the cultural differences between now and the time we are studying. It's not fair to judge people who lived in the past by the standards of our current time. Also, FDR's policies were NOT bad. He wouldn't have been elected *FOUR TIMES* if everyone thought his policies were bad! Go look up The Four Freedoms and see if you _still_ think FDR was so awful.
@@calichef1962 you must not have seen my other comments on another thread I stated there that he didn't let in Black track stars in the White House, yes he is a racist.
Great video as always. I wish you had included the fact that when he was undersecretary of the Navy he drove another man home, was asked inside for a nightcap, respectfully declined and drove home, his passenger went upstairs to bed and his house was bombed, right where the liquor was kept and they both would have been if FDR hadn't declined the drink.
