FDR Speeches
Initiated during his first term as Governor of New York, and further institutionalized during his presidency, FDR would occasionally address the nation directly, appealing to citizens to support important legislation related to his ‘New Deal’ initiative. These sessions were initiated during the period of the Great Depression, and continued throughout WWII.
| Track | Title | Time |
| 1 |
March 4, 1933 - First Inaugural Address “...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself ... “ |
1 min |
| 2 |
March 4, 1933 - First Inaugural Address (contd.) “I shall ask the Congress for .. broad Executive Power ...“ |
2 min |
| 3 |
January 20, 1937 - Second Inaugural Address “I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill nourished.“ |
4 min |
| 4 |
October 5, 1937 - “Quarantine” Speech at Chicago “War is a contagion ... “ |
4 min |
| 5 |
January 4, 1939 - Annual Message to Congress “...it has become increasingly clear that world peace is not assured.“ |
3 min |
| 6 |
September 3, 1939 - Fireside Chat after the outbreak of war. “...there will be no black-out of Peace in the United States.“ |
4 min |
| 7 |
July 19, 1940 - Third Acceptance Speech “It is with a very full heart I speak tonight . . . “ |
2 min |
| 8 |
July 19, 1940 - Third Acceptance Speech (contd.)
|
3 min |
| 9 |
December 29, 1940 - Fireside Chat on National Security “We must be the great arsenal of democracy.“ |
3 min |
| 10 |
January 6, 1941 - Lend-Lease Message to Congress “Let us say ... ‘We will send you ... ships, planes, tanks, guns.’ “ |
4 min |
| 11 |
January 6, 1941 - Lend-Lease Message to Congress (contd.) “ ... four essential human freedoms ... everywhere in the world.” |
4 min |
| 12 |
May 27, 1941 - Fireside Chat before Pan-American Union Board “Today the whole world is divided ... between human slavery and human freedom ... “ |
5 min |
| 13 |
September 11, 1941 - Labor Day Broadcast: Warning to Axis vessels. “I have no illusions about the gravity of this step.“ |
2 min |
| 14 |
December 8, 1941 - State of War Message to Congress “ . . . a date that will live in infamy . . . “ |
3 min |
| 15 |
January 6, 1942 - State of the Union Message to Congress “ . . . the spirit of the American people was never higher . . . “ |
4 min |
| 16 |
February 23, 1942 - Washington’s Birthday Address “Let them tell that to the Marines!” |
3 min |
| 17 |
September 3, 1942 - Speech to the International Student Assembly “Victory is essential; but victory is not enough.” |
3 min |
| 19 |
June 6, 1944 - Prayer on D-Day “ ... let our hearts be stout ... “ |
4 min |
| 20 |
October 21, 1944 - Foreign Policy Speech (1944 campaign) “The council of ... the United Nations must have the power ... to keep the peace ...” |
3 min |
| 21 |
Report to Congress on the Crimea Congress “ ... I hope that you will pardon me for an unusual posture of sitting down ... “ |
4 min |
