FDR's Life and Presidential Legacy | FDR | History

MAN: Franklin Roosevelt ran on a campaign of cleaning up the government, having an honest government. But what he's really out there doing,

he's just convincing people that he cares about them. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: Hello, there. Franklin D. Roosevelt, running for state Senate.

WOMAN: Eleanor said when he first started speaking, he spoke so slowly that there were big pauses between everything he said.

And she was afraid he would never go on with his speech. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: Hello. How are you? - This is my niece. - Your niece?

Hello. WOMAN: But then after a while, when he got comfortable and he kept talking and talking, she was afraid he'd never stop speaking.

Hello, Franklin D. Roosevelt. WOMAN: He not only found his voice in that campaign,

but he found his vocation. He knew there was something inside of him that wanted to make other people's lives better.

Roosevelt managed to win as a Democrat although this was a very conservative Republican area.

[cheering] Roosevelt was not expecting to serve in the New York State Senate for the next 40 years.

What he was doing was following in the footsteps of Uncle Teddy.

HW BRANDS: Roosevelt realized that to be successful in American policy you have to show that you can do something

for the national party. So in 1912, when Woodrow Wilson is running for president,

in those pre radio, pre television days when candidates required proxies, Franklin Roosevelt

is promoting Woodrow Wilson. He's campaigning against his cousin, Teddy, the man

that he idolizes. He realized this was a great opportunity for the Democrats

to win the election. But, more importantly, that this would give him an inside track into getting it into Washington and getting out

of the state legislature. MAN 3: In 1912, there were three candidates--

William Howard Taft, who was the incumbent; former president Theodore Roosevelt;

and Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson.

The Democrats win the election. Woodrow Wilson becomes president. And now, Franklin D. Roosevelt, having supported Wilson,

gets a slot in the Wilson administration. MAN 4: FDR supports Woodrow Wilson

without infuriating Uncle Teddy and pleases Wilson to such an extent that Wilson is willing to give

him his wish to become Assistant Secretary of the Navy. That's political talent at a very young age.

MAN 3: As the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, the same position his cousin Teddy Roosevelt had,

Franklin is elevated to the national stage at a crucial point in history.

GEOFFREY WAWRO: In August 1914 World War I breaks out in Europe. [gunfire, explosions]

[engine rumbling] [gunfire] [yelling]

It's hard to imagine in 1914 that the US would ever get involved. MAN: As Assistant Secretary of the Navy,

Franklin is perpetually impatient. He's convinced during the early years of World War I

that America, in general, and the Navy department, in particular, are just not doing

enough to get ready for war. Franklin is constantly pushing to expand the Navy, sometimes going around his superiors

instructions to do so. In 1915, the Germans sank the Lusitania,

one of the most famous and luxurious passenger liners of the time, and there's nearly 2,000 people on board

and nearly 1,200 of those perished, including 123 Americans.

This almost causes war, but there's a real pushback inside the United States about going to war.

Then in 1917, the Germans send a telegram to the government of Mexico saying if you declare war on the United States,

we will give you support to take back the land you lost in the Mexican-American war.

MICHAEL NEIBERG: Woodrow Wilson finally was out of options for neutrality, and the United States joined

World War I in April of 1917. [cannons firing]