Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Formation of the Modern World

No event shaped the twentieth century more than World War II, and no leader shaped the conduct of the war and the formation of the modern world more than President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In this anthology, leading scholars examine Roosevelt's role in the international arena, focusing on his diplomacy with Europe, Russia, the Baltic States, Canada, and the Caribbean; his relations with American Jews in the face of the Holocaust; his military appointments; and the operation of the Civilian War Services Division.

Franklin Roosevelt's reputation as one of the great American presidents remains secure. In foreign affairs he was instrumental in moving the country from isolationism into a new era of international involvement and assertiveness that has endured since his death. During World War II he helped plan and direct the most successful military operation in the history of the nation. But while his presidency is the standard by which all his successors have been judged, it is also one of the most controversial. He provided the leadership and vision necessary to restore hope and to confront the greatest world crisis of the twentieth century, but his methods were often manipulative and deceptive. As an idealist with a coherent world vision, and a realist willing to make pragmatic deals, he was responsible for decisions and policies that were fundamentally important in the making of the world in which we live today.

The chapters in this volume provide fresh and original insights into the man who for over twelve critical years determined the foreign policy of the United States. They trace and analyze the evolution of Roosevelt's foreign policy during a time of ever-deepening involvement in world affairs in the 1930s and his role as wartime statesman.