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Joanne J Henry's avatar

I was 6 years old when Rosevelt died. Our radio was on all day and I still remember the sadness I felt from listening to all the accolades as well as my parents’ sadness during the funeral broadcast. Having that radio on in the background thru my toddler years during WWII has had a lasting effect on my life and my interest in politics. My father was a coal miner, my mother a housewife but they talked about and were interested in everything going on in the world. And they loved Rosevelt and thought he could do no wrong. Thank you for writing this.

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Ivan Tufaart's avatar

Yip Harburg, the lyricist who wrote "Buddy can you spare a dime" wrote an updated verse:

Once we had a Roosevelt

Praise the Lord!'

Life had meaning and hope

Now we're stuck with Nixon, Agnew, Ford

Buddy can you spare a rope?

That says it all. A strong case can be made that he was the greatest President ever, or if not, then second only to Lincoln.

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Steve 218's avatar

An excellent historical recounting is presented here.

We now have another of our most consequential presidencies facing us today: Whether or not democracy and the freedoms and rights we have fought for and been provided since FDR has become a serious question. We haven't entered the new Golden Age - it's the new dark age, and we have a lot to do to work toward the light again.

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Lori Dobrik's avatar

This was fascinating. My mother shared with me her memories of the announcement of his death.

One correction: He is buried in Hyde Park, New York not New Hyde Park, also in New York but on Long Island.

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Joh Gainey's avatar

I was 12 years old when Roosevelt died. We lived in Oklahoma City and a tornado struck in a near vicinity and both seemed to be related in my memory. With four older brothers still in service in the war at that time, it was a great shock to my parents.

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Goran Senjanovic's avatar

I have been wondering all my life whether the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would have been avoided with him in office. I like to believe that Roosevelt would have never ordered the bombing (but then American Japanese were kept in concentration camps during the war).

I am troubled to this day by these crimes against humanity. Oppenheimer, Fermi and others insisted that the bombs be dropped first on deserted but visible areas, such as Tokyo bay - and then Japan threatened. Seventy scientists signed the letter against dropping the bomb on innocent civilians, but Truman refused to listen - and the target was maximising civilian death. In 2 days 214 000 people were killed - and in the years that followed, many of the survivors would face leukaemia, cancer, or other terrible side effects from the radiation. In comparison 418 000 Americans were killed during the whole WW2.

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Pat Jones Garcia's avatar

As is said, war is hell.

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T...'s avatar

If possible, please make this available by listening. Thank you.

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