Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 'Four Freedoms Address'

The “Four Freedoms Address” is considered to be one of the most important speeches to come out of the era just before World War II. This speech would influence American sentiment about the war, determine what America fought for in the war, and establish the United States as a supporter of rights around the globe for years to come. The speech itself was delivered by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) in January 1941; about 12 months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent direct U.S. involvement in the war. Discussed within are four freedoms that Roosevelt believes every human should have and the United States should defend (“Four Freedoms: Address to Congress”). This speech was given in Washington by FDR to Congress to fulfill the

According to Roosevelt, “The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments … [so] that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor” (“Four Freedoms”). This statement is important because it relates to the geopolitical conditions of the early 40s. The second world war engulfed much of Europe and other surrounding areas. This is compounded by the fact that to most of the world, the effects of the first world war were still largely felt. Now, with the emergence of a second war poised to devastate Europe just as the first one did, Roosevelt found a need for change. As evidenced by this quote, Roosevelt believes the best way to prevent further world wars is to reduce the global ability to wage them. Through demilitarization, society may finally gain a chance to solve issues other than

For instance, “He … faced criticism from those who felt he was power hungry and acting like a dictator. The Republican opposition was particularly displeased with his decision to run for an unprecedented third term” (Linkletter). Though FDR was seen as a great leader by many, some aspects of his presidency were still criticized. Understandably, some in Congress didn’t agree with his third term in office. Not many presidents have had this opportunity and in modern times, it isn’t allowed. Therefore, it’s perfectly reasonable for some people to believe that Roosevelt was overstepping his bounds. In addition, Roosevelt also faced opposition from supporters of isolationism, as explained by, “Roosevelt was well aware that ardent isolationists in both houses might undermine his plan. He did not consult with Congress regarding his decision to transfer World War I era destroyers to Britain [for] longterm leases on British military bases,” (Linkletter). Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, isolationism was the dominant political response to World War II in the United States; many citizens and politicians simply wanted to focus on rebuilding America instead of intervening in foreign affairs. Since Roosevelt’s Lend-Lease Act had the potential to upset Hitler, many politicians didn’t approve of it with the reasoning of not wanting to “rock the boat” and instead focus on the homeland.