December 3, 2020

In this issue: Harvey Kaye on the power of FDR's speeches, Walter Borneman on MacArthur in World War II, X is for Xanthus Russell Smith, the Pearl Harbor Attack and FDR's Response.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Author and historian Harvey Kaye discusses his most recent book on FDR's greatest speeches with Library Director Paul Sparrow.

PROGRAM ARCHIVES
From June 2016:
Walter Borneman examines General MacArthur's rise to hero status during World War II, and his relationship with Roosevelt. Broadcast by CSPAN (Video 45:08 minutes).

FEATURES AND DIVERSIONS


X is for Xanthus Russell Smith. Smith was a marine artist who served in the United States Navy during the Civil War. He is best known for his depictions of important naval battles of that war—a special interest of FDR’s. FDR purchased “USS Kearsarge Sinking the Alabama” in 1922.


Also see:


A blog post by FDR Library Director Paul Sparrow on Roosevelt's collection of over 5,000 maritime prints, paintings and etchings.

USS Kearsarge Sinking the Alabama
Rebel Ironclad Merrimac Destroying the US Frigate Congress

On December 7, 1941, U.S. officials were anticipating hostilities with Japan – but they did not know when or where they might occur. The documents in this online exhibit trace the diplomatic breakdown and Japan's surprise offensive.

Just three hours after learning of Japan’s attack, FDR dictated one of the most famous speeches in American history, handwriting a revision to the first sentence and changing it from a "date which will live in world history," to a "date which will live in infamy."



Video of FDR's famous speech delivered after Pearl Harbor, with pop-up facts and contextual information. Originally created for the FDR Library's Pearl Harbor Curriculum Hub. (7:17 minutes)

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