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Saturday, March 4, 1933. The world was in the midst of the great depression. World War Two was years away - Hitler had just risen to power in Germany. In the US Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt had defeated Republican incumbent Herbert Hoover in the presidential election the year prior. And on that day he delivered his inaugural address - a speech designed to reassure the public during one of the most bleak moments in American history.
This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.Sunday, March 5, 2006. Appearing on CBS' Face the Nation 73 years and one day later, Congressman Jack Murtha exhibits a complete ignorance of the history of his country and his party:
REP. MURTHA: Well, it's an interesting thing. Roosevelt said, President Roosevelt said, the only thing you have to fear is fear itself when he talked about World War Two when World War Two started.A minor mistake, to be sure, compared to the many other fabrications and untruths he'd deliver that day. Perhaps this one was just a "senior moment".
Roosevelt's WWII speech, delivered almost nine years after his "fear itself" speech, began "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy..."
Fear was not mentioned, although by that point we had much more to fear than fear itself. The Pacific fleet was at the bottom of the Pearl Harbor; we had no Army to speak of. It would be almost another year before we went to battle against Germany in Africa – although they had not attacked us - and even then we were hardly prepared. (Read this, and shudder.)
For the record, Roosevelt's very brief Pearl Harbor speech ended like this:
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.But there's no requirement for a U.S. Congressman to be a student of history.Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
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