Fdr and Winston Churchill

Between the years of 1939 and 1945 the world was sent spiralling in a mess of corruption, violence and uncertainty. Allied powers were faced with the unparalleled task of protecting the world from tyranny. In terms of political power, this weight was bestowed upon the shoulders of two memorable individuals. By and large Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt can be labelled as beacons of democracy and leaders of the free world in their time.

Winston Churchill, the son of Lord Randolph Churchill, became an officer in the 4th cavalry in 1894. Between 1895 and 1899 he served in Cuba, India and South Africa as a reporter. Churchill entered politics in 1900 and held many government posts until he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty prior to World War One. Due to logistical and tactical failures during wartime, Churchill was somewhat discredited and lost his naval post. In the inter war period, Churchill remained politically active and made his way up the ranks to become chancellor of the exchequer in Stanley Baldwin's Conservative government. When World War Two broke out, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appointed him to his old post as First Lord of the Admiralty. When Chamberlain was forced to resign, Churchill became Prime Minister. He served throughout the war as Britain's supreme leader until he was defeated in a 1946 general election. Churchill once again became prime minister from 1951 until his resignation in 1955. In 1953, he was knighted and received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was a lawyer educated at Harvard and Columbia University School of Law. His political career started when he was elected to the New York State senate in 1910. He was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy, a position he held

from 1913 to 1920. As a Democrat, Roosevelt ran as vice presidential nominee along side James M. Cox, an election that was lost to the republican candidates Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. While vacationing on Campobello Island, N.B., Roosevelt was stricken with polio and became paralysed from the waste down. However, he eventually recovered partial use of his legs. In 1928 and 1930, Roosevelt was elected governor of New York. At the height of the great depression, in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt became the 32nd president of the United States. He went to work immediately utilising government resources to combat the economic downtrend. His famous "New Deal" helped pull the United states out of the depression using socialist style practices such as government work programs. In 1936, Roosevelt was re-elected to a second term in office. He denounced international aggression and called for US entry into the war. In 1940, Roosevelt made history in becoming the only president to serve for a third term in office. The United States, lead by Roosevelt entered the war after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour. On April 12, 1945, roughly a month before Germany surrendered to the Allies, President Roosevelt died suddenly from a cerebral haemorrhage. He was succeeded by Harry S. Truman.

Both Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt were leaders of democratic societies whose general principles strongly advocate the promotion and protection of freedom. Great Britain and the United States of America respectively have been the two greatest democratic nations, in terms of economic and military factors, throughout the greater part of the twentieth century. This being said, it is obvious that any leaders of these countries must share a similar set of values and have a somewhat parallel view of international affairs. Both Churchill and Roosevelt believed in democracy as the superior political system in the world. They both understood that human beings should be given a certain number of rights and be treated fairly in a society. They also viewed western style democratic living standards as a model for how a society should run and how people should be treated.

Winston Churchill saw the early signs of corruption in central European affairs. He was very suspicious of Nazi intentions and generally distrusted this organization's political regime. Franklin D. Roosevelt was equally apprehensive of the Nazis and their intentions. Due to the fact that Germany was closer to home for Churchill in comparison to Roosevelt, traces of distrust and warning can be seen at an earlier date in the political preaching of Churchill. In general, they both realized that the Nazis could not be trusted and were under the leadership of a man with conversely dilated views of society and human rights; Adolf Hitler.

Churchill and Roosevelt met on a ship at sea off the coast of Newfoundland in 1941 to discuss their initiatives and feelings toward international affairs. They drew up an unofficial charter, the Atlantic Charter, agreeing upon several different objectives of which they would strive to achieve. Among the most noteworthy were opposition to territorial changes made against the wishes of the people concerned, access to raw materials for all nations of the world and easing of trade restrictions, and abandonment of the use of force, as well as disarmament of aggressor nations. This relatively quick agreement outlining mutually agreed upon principles can be seen as an example of how Churchill and Roosevelt saw eye to eye in terms of international affairs. They both had a vision of a post war world that was quite similar in comparison.

As the world was strewn into escalating conflict with the onset of World War Two, opposing camps of Allied and Axis powers were formed and faced off on all fronts. Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt were expected to deal with huge responsibilities. The actions of these two men could potentially have catastrophic consequences on the world and the human race in general. Both leaders were faced with difficult decisions concerning human lives. Not only can similarities be found in the actual presence of these undesirable tasks for both men, but also their brave and unwavering reactions to the horrible circumstances. Both leaders remained strong and encouraging throughout the entire ordeal. There were times when the fate of Great Britain was questionable. When food supplies for the home islands had diminished to that of a months reserve. Also, when Royal Air Force crewmen were losing their lives at an alarming rate. Winston Churchill dealt with these harsh realities and appeared strong so his people could see that nothing could break his spirit. In comparison, the United States had to answer the call and send thousands of young individuals to their death on foreign soil, far away from family and loved ones. A sacrifice had to be made and behind all war measures was a leader who had to impose them. Like Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt faced adversity