Franklin Delano Roosevelt has often been hailed as a legend when it comes to American presidential history. While it's true that no political figure has ever been perfect, FDR, how he's more intimately referred to, was able to take a broken nation and heal it in a way that went down in history as one of the greatest challenges ever met by any incoming president. Through the process of democracy, the US chooses a new person to represent the face of the country every four years, and when FDR took the microphone, it suddenly became clear that he wasn't only a leader - he was a man on a mission, with a purpose to live, and the will to live it.
When the Great Depression singlehandedly dismantled America's economy and brought many families to their knees, FDR brought to fruition that not only could the country heal, but it could do so in a way that would make it greater, and even stronger, than it had been in the past. Upon taking office, one of the first ways that this great president reached the people was through something he called 'fireside chats.' These chats were broadcast publically and were, quite simply, a fireside chat with the president. From the White House fireside, FDR delivered speeches that captivated a nation, and his words, like his legacy, were what set the country in motion to recover from one of the worst economic disasters in the country's history.
The Words That Saved A Nation And Regained Its Trust
FDR was what many would refer to as a personal president. His talks were intimate, engaging, and everything was explained in a way that made it seem approachable. He was not a president who put himself on a pedestal and view the country as personal gain; FDR viewed the country as a place to fix, a field to sow, and a place for anyone and everyone to prosper. All it took was one good listen to his speeches to understand that this time, things were about to be different. And by opening with the words, 'My friends...' FDR began the first of the fireside chats.
The first of these reached an estimated 60 million Americans across the airwaves and lasted about 13 minutes. He spoke simply of banking - nothing more - and how the government, as he intended it, planned to fix the economic crisis. He also dialed things back and explained how the crisis started, engaging millions of Americans in the why's and how's of their current predicament. It was through this telling - and retelling - that he was able to gain the trust of the American people. Finally, Roosevelt turned to reassurance to end his first fireside chat.
He stated that despite the face of what banking had become in the US, it was still better to trust their hard-earned savings with the bank rather than hidden under their mattresses. FDR encouraged the American people to 'have courage,' have 'faith,' and put their trust in the truth rather than being "stampeded by rumors or guesses." To end, FDR came out strong, saying, "Let's unite in banishing fear. Together we cannot fail." At 10:13 PM on March 12th, 1933, this is how FDR concluded the first fireside chat.
The Results Of FDR's Plan And Honesty
The very first fireside chat appeared to have had monumental consequences because when the banks were reopened, tellers were faced with lines at the doors. It took a total of two weeks to fill the banks once again with money from people who had refounded their trust in the American banking system and by March 15th, stocks were once again being traded. The American people were enamored and even enchanted by the president's words; with a total of 33 fireside chats having been done by FDR, it was estimated that 450,000 cards and letters would be sent to the White House after just one of them.
The president's consistency, a constant policy of honesty and truth, is what allowed the nation to undergo great change and transformation. If it weren't for FDR, the US would be in a very different place right now - but it was through these fireside chats that helped renew faith in the government, the American people, and the fact that together, united, a group of people can truly accomplish great things. FDR would go on to win four presidential victories after that, each one bringing with it new challenges that he was always up to facing.