homework for American history

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F R A N K L I N DE L A N O R O O S E V E LT

Annual Address to Congress: The “Four

Freedoms” (1941)

In November 1940, with much of the world already embroiled in World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt

(1882–1945) was elected to an unprecedented third term as president. During the previous spring Nazi

troops had swept across Europe, conquering Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg,

and France in a matter of weeks. During the summer and fall, the Germans waged an intense air

campaign against the United Kingdom. Despite the danger that Britain too might fall, many Americans

continued to believe that the United States should remain neutral and stay out of the conflict.

It was in this context of war and uncertainty that Roosevelt delivered his annual message to Congress

on January 6, 1941. In the speech, Roosevelt warned Americans of the “unprecedented” risk they faced

“from without,” he urged them to take action, and he sketched out a vision for the future. As you read

Roosevelt’s speech, think about the way he brings American history to bear on current events. Consider

also how he mixes practical recommendations with an articulation of lofty ideals.

From Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Annual Message to Congress,” Records of the United States Senate, Sen.

77A–H1, January 6, 1941.

r. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Seventy-Seventh Congress:

I address you, the members of the Seventy-Seventh Congress, at a moment

unprecedented in the history of the Union. I use the word “unprecedented,” because at

no previous time has American security been as seriously threatened from without as it is today.

Since the permanent formation of our government under the Constitution, in 1789, most of the

periods of crisis in our history have related to our domestic affairs. Fortunately, only one of these—the

four-year War between the States—ever threatened our national unity. Today, thank God, one

hundred and thirty million Americans, in forty-eight sates, have forgotten points of the compass in

our national unity.

It is true that prior to 1914 the United States often had been disturbed by events in other

continents. We had even engaged in two wars with European nations and in a number of undeclared

wars in the West Indies, in the Mediterranean, and in the Pacific for the maintenance of American

rights and for the principles of peaceful commerce. But in no case had a serious threat been raised

against our national safety or our continued independence.

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What I seek to convey is the historic truth that the United States as a nation has at all times

maintained clear, definite opposition, to any attempt to lock us in behind an ancient Chinese wall

while the procession of civilization went past. Today, thinking of our children and of their children, we

oppose enforced isolation for ourselves or for any other part of the Americas.

That determination of ours, extending over all these years, was proved, for example, during the

quarter century of wars following the French Revolution.

While the Napoleonic struggles did threaten interests of the United States because of the French

foothold in the West Indies and in Louisiana, and while we engaged in the War of 1812 to vindicate our

right to peaceful trade, it is nevertheless clear that neither France nor Great Britain, nor any other

nation, was aiming at domination of the whole world.

In like fashion from 1815 to 1914—ninety-nine years—no single war in Europe or in Asia constituted a

real threat against our future or against the future of any other American nation.

Except in the Maximilian interlude in Mexico,1 no foreign power sought to establish itself in this

hemisphere; and the strength of the British fleet in the Atlantic has been a friendly strength. It is still a

friendly strength.

Even when the World War broke out in 1914, it seemed to contain only small threat of danger to our

own American future. But, as time went on, the American people began to visualize what the downfall

of democratic nations might mean to our own democracy.

We need not overemphasize imperfections in the Peace of Versailles.2 We need not harp on failure

of the democracies to deal with problems of world reconstruction. We should remember that the

Peace of 1919 was far less unjust than the kind of “pacification” which began even before Munich,3 and

which is being carried on under the new order of tyranny that seeks to spread over every continent

today. The American people have unalterably set their faces against that tyranny.

Every realist knows that the democratic way of life is at this moment being directly assailed in

every part of the world—assailed either by arms, or by secret spreading of poisonous propaganda by

those who seek to destroy unity and promote discord in nations that are still at peace.

During sixteen long months this assault has blotted out the whole pattern of democratic life in an

appalling number of independent nations, great and small. The assailants are still on the march,

threatening other nations, great and small.

Therefore, as your president, performing my constitutional duty to “give to the Congress

information of the state of the Union,” I find it, unhappily, necessary to report that the future and the

safety of our country and of our democracy are overwhelmingly involved in events far beyond our

borders.

Armed defense of democratic existence is now being gallantly waged in four continents. If that

defense fails, all the population and all the resources of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia will be

dominated by the conquerors. Let us remember that the total of those populations and their

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resources in those four continents greatly exceeds the sum total of the population and the resources

of the whole of the Western Hemisphere—many times over.

In times like these, it is immature—and incidentally, untrue—for anybody to brag that an unprepared

America, single-handed, and with one hand tied behind its back, can hold off the whole world.

No realistic American can expect from a dictator’s peace international generosity, or return of true

independence, or world disarmament, or freedom of expression, or freedom of religion—or even good

business.

Such a peace would bring no security for us or for our neighbors. “Those who would give up

essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”4

As a nation, we may take pride in the fact that we are softhearted; but we cannot afford to be soft-

headed.

We must always be wary of those who with sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal preach the “ism”

of appeasement.

We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the

American eagle in order to feather their own nests.

I have recently pointed out how quickly the tempo of modern warfare could bring into our very

midst the physical attack which we must eventually expect if the dictator nations win this war.

There is much loose talk of our immunity from immediate and direct invasion from across the seas.

Obviously, as long as the British navy retains its power, no such danger exists. Even if there were no

British navy, it is not probable that any enemy would be stupid enough to attack us by landing troops

in the United States from across thousands of miles of ocean, until it had acquired strategic bases

from which to operate.

But we learn much from the lessons of the past years in Europe—particularly the lesson of Norway,

whose essential seaports were captured by treachery and surprise built up over a series of years.

The first phase of the invasion of this hemisphere would not be the landing of regular troops. The

necessary strategic points would be occupied by secret agents and their dupes—and great numbers of

them are already here, and in Latin America.

As long as the aggressor nations maintain the offensive, they—not we—will choose the time and the

place and the method of their attack.

That is why the future of all the American republics is today in serious danger.

That is why this annual message to the Congress is unique in our history.

That is why every member of the executive branch of the government and every member of the

Congress faces great responsibility and great accountability.

The need of the moment is that our actions and our policy should be devoted primarily—almost

exclusively—to meeting this foreign peril. For all our domestic problems are now a part of the great

emergency.

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Just as our national policy in internal affairs has been based upon a decent respect for the rights

and the dignity of all our fellow men within our gates, so our national policy in foreign affairs has been

based on a decent respect for the rights and dignity of all nations, large and small. And the justice of

morality must and will win in the end.

Our national policy is this:

First, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are

committed to all-inclusive national defense.

Second, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are

committed to full support of all those resolute peoples, everywhere, who are resisting aggression and

are thereby keeping war away from our hemisphere. By this support, we express our determination

that the democratic cause shall prevail; and we strengthen the defense and the security of our own

nation.

Third, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are

committed to the proposition that principles of morality and considerations for our own security will

never permit us to acquiesce in a peace dictated by aggressors and sponsored by appeasers. We know

that enduring peace cannot be bought at the cost of other people’s freedom.

In the recent national election there was no substantial difference between the two great parties in

respect to that national policy. No issue was fought out on this line before the American electorate.

Today it is abundantly evident that American citizens everywhere are demanding and supporting

speedy and complete action in recognition of obvious danger.

Therefore, the immediate need is a swift and driving increase in our armament production.

Leaders of industry and labor have responded to our summons. Goals of speed have been set. In

some cases these goals are being reached ahead of time; in some cases we are on schedule; in other

cases there are slight but not serious delays; and in some cases—and I am sorry to say very important

cases—we are all concerned by the slowness of the accomplishment of our plans.

The army and navy, however, have made substantial progress during the past year. Actual

experience is improving and speeding up our methods of production with every passing day. And

today’s best is not good enough for tomorrow.

I am not satisfied with the progress thus far made. The men in charge of the program represent the

best in training, in ability, and in patriotism. They are not satisfied with the progress thus far made.

None of us will be satisfied until the job is done.

No matter whether the original goal was set too high or too low, our objective is quicker and better

results. To give you two illustrations:

We are behind schedule in turning out finished airplanes; we are working day and night to solve the

innumerable problems and to catch up.

We are ahead of schedule in building warships but we are working to get even further ahead of that

schedule.

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To change a whole nation from a basis of peacetime production of implements of peace to a basis

of wartime production of implements of war is no small task. And the greatest difficulty comes at the

beginning of the program, when new tools, new plant facilities, new assembly lines, and new shipways

must first be constructed before the actual material begins to flow steadily and speedily from them.

The Congress, of course, must rightly keep itself informed at all times of the progress of the

program. However, there is certain information, as the Congress itself will readily recognize, which, in

the interests of our own security and those of the nations that we are supporting, must of needs be

kept in confidence.

New circumstances are constantly begetting new needs for our safety. I shall ask this Congress for

greatly increased new appropriations and authorizations to carry on what we have begun.

I also ask this Congress for authority and for funds sufficient to manufacture additional munitions

and war supplies of many kinds, to be turned over to those nations which are now in actual war with

aggressor nations.

Our most useful and immediate role is to act as an arsenal for them as well as for ourselves. They

do not need manpower, but they do need billions of dollars’ worth of the weapons of defense.

The time is near when they will not be able to pay for them all in ready cash. We cannot, and we

will not, tell them that they must surrender, merely because of present inability to pay for the

weapons which we know they must have.

I do not recommend that we make them a loan of dollars with which to pay for these weapons—a

loan to be repaid in dollars.

I recommend that we make it possible for those nations to continue to obtain war materials in the

United States, fitting their orders into our own program.5 Nearly all their material would, if the time

ever came, be useful for our own defense.

Taking counsel of expert military and naval authorities, considering what is best for our own

security, we are free to decide how much should be kept here and how much should be sent abroad to

our friends who by their determined and heroic resistance are giving us time in which to make ready

our own defense.

For what we send abroad, we shall be repaid within a reasonable time following the close of

hostilities, in similar materials, or, at our option, in other goods of many kinds, which they can

produce and which we need.

Let us say to the democracies: “We Americans are vitally concerned in your defense of freedom. We

are putting forth our energies, our resources and our organizing powers to give you the strength to

regain and maintain a free world. We shall send you, in ever-increasing numbers, ships, planes, tanks,

guns. This is our purpose and our pledge.”

In fulfillment of this purpose we will not be intimidated by the threats of dictators that they will

regard as a breach of international law or as an act of war our aid to the democracies which dare to

resist their aggression. Such aid is not an act of war, even if a dictator should unilaterally proclaim it

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so to be.

When the dictators, if the dictators, are ready to make war upon us, they will not wait for an act of

war on our part. They did not wait for Norway or Belgium or the Netherlands to commit an act of war.

Their only interest is in a new one-way international law, which lacks mutuality in its observance,

and, therefore, becomes an instrument of oppression.

The happiness of future generations of Americans may well depend upon how effective and how

immediate we can make our aid felt. No one can tell the exact character of the emergency situations

that we may be called upon to meet. The nation’s hands must not be tied when the nation’s life is in

danger.

We must all prepare to make the sacrifices that the emergency—almost as serious as war itself—

demands. Whatever stands in the way of speed and efficiency in defense preparations must give way

to the national need.

A free nation has the right to expect full cooperation from all groups. A free nation has the right to

look to the leaders of business, of labor, and of agriculture to take the lead in stimulating effort, not

among other groups but within their own groups.

The best way of dealing with the few slackers or troublemakers in our midst is, first, to shame them

by patriotic example, and, if that fails, to use the sovereignty of government to save government.

As men do not live by bread alone, they do not fight by armaments alone. Those who man our

defenses, and those behind them who build our defenses, must have the stamina and the courage

which come from unshakable belief in the manner of life which they are defending. The mighty action

that we are calling for cannot be based on a disregard of all things worth fighting for.

The nation takes great satisfaction and much strength from the things which have been done to

make its people conscious of their individual stake in the preservation of democratic life in America.

Those things have toughened the fiber of our people, have renewed their faith and strengthened their

devotion to the institutions we make ready to protect.

Certainly this is no time for any of us to stop thinking about the social and economic problems

which are the root cause of the social revolution which is today a supreme factor in the world.

For there is nothing mysterious about the foundations of a healthy and strong democracy. The

basic things expected by our people of their political and economic systems are simple. They are:

Equality of opportunity for youth and for others.

Jobs for those who can work.

Security for those who need it.

The ending of special privilege for the few.

The preservation of civil liberties for all.

The enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living.

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These are the simple, basic things that must never be lost sight of in the turmoil and unbelievable

complexity of our modern world. The inner and abiding strength of our economic and political

systems is dependent upon the degree to which they fulfill these expectations.

Many subjects connected with our social economy call for immediate improvement. As examples:

We should bring more citizens under the coverage of old-age pensions and unemployment insurance.

We should widen the opportunities for adequate medical care.

We should plan a better system by which persons deserving or needing gainful employment may obtain it.

I have called for personal sacrifice. I am assured of the willingness of almost all Americans to

respond to that call.

A part of the sacrifice means the payment of more money in taxes. In my budget message I shall

recommend that a greater portion of this great defense program be paid for from taxation than we

are paying today. No person should try, or be allowed, to get rich out of this program; and the

principle of tax payments in accordance with ability to pay should be constantly before our eyes to

guide our legislation.

If the Congress maintains these principles, the voters, putting patriotism ahead of pocketbooks,

will give you their applause.

In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four

essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings

which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a worldwide reduction of

armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit

an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.

That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our

own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of

tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.

To that new order we oppose the greater conception—the moral order. A good society is able to

face schemes of world domination and foreign revolutions alike without fear.

Since the beginning of our American history, we have been engaged in change—in a perpetual

peaceful revolution—a revolution which goes on steadily, quietly adjusting itself to changing

conditions—without the concentration camp or the quicklime in the ditch.6 The world order which we

seek is the cooperation of free countries, working together in a friendly, civilized society.

This nation has placed its destiny in the hands and heads and hearts of its millions of free men and

women; and its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom means the supremacy of human

rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain those rights or keep them. Our

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strength is our unity of purpose. To that high concept there can be no end save victory.

Study Questions

1. According to Roosevelt, why was American security threatened by a war being waged in a different

hemisphere? What must Americans do to avert the danger they faced? What kinds of sacrifices did

Roosevelt urge Americans to make?

2. What adjective did Roosevelt repeatedly use to describe those nations battling the Axis Powers? Do

you think this term was always justified?

3. Review what you’ve learned about the New Deal. Do you see any connection between the goals and

policies of the New Deal and the “Four Freedoms” that Roosevelt articulated at the end of the

speech?

4. What was Roosevelt trying to achieve with this speech, particularly with his opening discussion of

American history from 1789 through the end of World War I? Can you think of another way to tell

this history?