Ep 4. FDR, Part 4

American Experience: The Presidents is a PBS documentary series that chronicles the lives and legacies of the men who have held the highest office in the United States. In season 1, episode 4, titled FDR, Part 4, the focus is on Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the final years of his presidency.

The episode begins with FDR's fourth inauguration, which took place on January 20, 1945. Roosevelt was the first president to be inaugurated for a fourth term, and he gave an optimistic speech in which he expressed hope for a peaceful post-war world. However, as the episode shows, the final years of FDR's presidency were far from peaceful. With the war in Europe and the Pacific coming to a close, Roosevelt was faced with a host of challenges, both foreign and domestic.

One of the major themes of the episode is the tension between Roosevelt and his vice president, Harry S. Truman. Roosevelt had chosen Truman as his running mate in 1944, but the two men had little in common and were not close. As FDR's health declined, Truman found himself increasingly out of the loop and unsure of his role. The episode explores Truman's growing anxiety and the challenge he faced in stepping into the presidency after FDR's unexpected death in April 1945.

Another major focus of the episode is Roosevelt's efforts to shape the post-war world. FDR had long been a proponent of international cooperation and had championed the idea of a United Nations organization to promote peace and security. As the war drew to a close, Roosevelt worked tirelessly to lay the groundwork for the United Nations, traveling to conferences in Yalta and San Francisco to negotiate with Allied leaders. The episode offers a fascinating look at the complicated politics of international diplomacy, as well as the challenges FDR faced in convincing skeptical Americans to support the creation of a new world order.

In addition to his foreign policy efforts, the episode also explores FDR's domestic agenda in his final years. Despite his deteriorating health, Roosevelt remained committed to his New Deal programs and continued to push for progressive reforms, including the creation of a national health insurance program. The episode follows the debates in Congress over these proposals and shows how Roosevelt's death in 1945 ultimately derailed many of his economic and social initiatives.

Overall, American Experience: The Presidents season 1 episode 4 offers a compelling and nuanced look at the final years of FDR's presidency. Through interviews with historians, archival footage, and evocative reenactments, the episode captures the complexities of Roosevelt's leadership and the challenges he faced during some of the most tumultuous years in modern American history. Whether you are a history buff or simply interested in the story of one of America's most iconic presidents, this episode is sure to captivate and inform.