Saturday, May 9, 2026

I hate war

The date is December 1, 1941. The war in Europe has been going on for a little over two years and Hitler is winning. FDR wants the US to enter the war and save democracy as it struggles against fascism. Following the Constitution, he meets with a joint session of congress and ask for a declaration of war. The congressmen have questions. How long will it last? How much will it cost? How many will die? The president slowly lays out the war plans. He says there will be more than one million casualties including 420,000 dead. He says the cost will be $5 trillion in today’s dollars. The war will last four years. Many women will leave their children to baby sitters so they can work in the factories. There will be rationing of things like sugar, gasoline and tires. Citizens will plant garden Famous Quote: "I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded... I have seen the dead in the mud. I have seen cities destroyed... I have seen children starving. I have seen the agony of mothers and wives. I hate war s to save food for the soldiers. Then he said, take all of this information to your home people and explain to them what will happen and then after you have heard their thoughts, come back here and vote. I will be in the White House awaiting your decision. I am not going to commit all of those lives. That is your job under the constitution. In 1936 while running for reelection and Hitler was taking power in Germany, FDR gave his now famous war speech. Five years later he went to war. Woodrow Wilson campaigned on keeping the U.S. out of World War I, with the 1916 slogan "He kept us out of war" helping him win reelection. Two months after he was inaugurated the US went to war.

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