(music) (music) eleanor words felt began a long trip home. slowly, the long, black funeral train rolled up from the south and then down pennsylvania avenue to the beat of drums, the president was born for the

last time to the executive mansion that for 12 years had been his official home. the passing of fdr from the american scene came as a personal shock to the nation. people wept openly, unashamed of their grief. drawn by six white horses, the flag draped caisson was brought to the main entrance of the white house, carried into the great east room where 80 years ago, almost to the day, the body of abraham lincoln had also laid in state. at hyde park, his ancestral home, the guns of west point cadets rang down the final curtain on the man best known around the world as fdr. [gunshots] to measure something of his greatness, we turn back the clock to franklin roosevelt as a young man making his first

political campaign, to a time when at only 28 years of age, he was elected new york state senator and broke the republican machine that had ruled for 28 years will stop emerging as a national figure, he served resident wilson as assistant secretary of navy. in 1920, as running mate of ohio, james m cox. fdr at the age of 38 was the youngest vice president married to anna eleanor roosevelt, he founded the heart of his dutch forebears. the vacation cottage on campobello island's after the vice presidency. it was in these same waters that he was first stricken with the dread polio germ that was to paralyze his legs but never

his life. called in 1928 to the state capitol in albany, franklin roosevelt was elected governor of new york. with al smith, his old friend, the happy warrior at his side, he threw himself into the fight as a champion for the common man. with james a farley swinging the gavel, the die was cast. a country mired in the mire of depression wanted a new president. called to accept the nomination, with his wife and son -- who knew it then, but this was the beginning of an era unparalleled in american history.

fdr's appearance in chicago stadium was the beginning of a series of spectacular personal triumphs. swept into office by the largest landslide in history, his first words were fearless and prosthetic. i am prepared under my constitutional duty to deliver what a stricken world may require. these measures or such other measures as the its experience and wisdom, i shall seek within my constitutional authority to bring to speed it up. but in the event congress should fail to take one of these two clauses, in the event the national emergency is still critical, i shall not invade the clear force of duty that will then confront me.

i shall ask the congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis -- broad, executive power to wage a war against the emergency as great as the power that would be given to me, if we were invaded by foreign foes. [applause] >> fdr's first term was marked when ominous period of >> by world unrest. its lowest ebb. america new flood, famine, drought and the dust bowl. fdr brought farm relief and flood control, water power and giant public works. social security was born, old age insurance became a new responsibility of government.

the price of gold was fixed and the american dollar became the soundest in the world. the forgotten man was remembered, the country hailed its leader as a pathfinder. the initials fdr began to stand for progress or national security. the fireside chat became an american institution. the white house secretary staff helped in the process of his radio reports. the president's talks were masterpieces of simplicity and directness. >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. >> my friends, the american public ... >> with that now familiar salutation he brought

his messages straight to the firesides of the people. >> he talked with them in their homes about the vital issues of the day. roosevelt never gave up hope and his battle against infantile paralysis. in the healing waters of the white house pool, swimming was his one relaxation and only exercise. >> how he organized the great warm springs foundation for the eventual benefit of the nation's half million polio victims will forever stand is a monument to his name. on each year on his birthday, all over the land, little children singing his praises. >> happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear president, happy birthday to you. >> this intimate study of the

president is one of the rare personal portraits and a crowded life. for no man in our time or anytime perhaps has been called on to make the momentous decisions that have been his. his one goal, his greatest ambition, was to lead the nations of the world into a lasting peace. royalty from many nations, the king and queen of england, have been guests in his home. with the world's most powerful rulers, he commanded supreme respect. with a keen grasp of international affairs, he foresaw by many years the trend of the world's march. in 1936, speaking in new york, he gave the nation words that would be quoted again and again. >> i have always thought that piece, like charity, begins at home. (applause) that is why we have

begun at home, here in north, and south, and central america. but peace in the western world is not all easy. i have seen war. i have seen war on land. i have seen blood running from the wounded. i have seen children sobbing. i have seen the agony of mothers and wives. i hate war. (applause) >> 1940 found the nation facing war. voters took the third term issue squarely to the polls. could the magic power of fdr shutter all presidents? the voice of the people was heard. the results are now conclusive, roosevelt winds.

>> the notion was jubilant, fdr had done it again. at hyde part, roosevelt and his family received the well-wishers of their neighbors. >> again the president addressed the nation in the presence of cabinet members and leaders from south of the border. fdr asked for broader powers than any before have been given to any president. >> the first and fundamental effect is what started as a european war has developed as the nazi's always intended it should develop, into a war for world domination therefore, with a found consciousness of my responsibility to my countrymen and to my country's cause, i have tonight issued a proclamation that an unlimited, national emergency exists and requires the strengthening of

our defense to the extreme limit of our national power and authority. >> with the world racing the greatest conflict of all-time, with the rights of all free people in danger, roosevelt met winston churchill on the high seas, gave a pledge to the world -- and the right of all people to choose their own form of government. >> history of records this meeting as the first of the atlantic charter. (music) december 7, 1941, a day of infamy burned into the pages of american history. [explosions] the president faced a nation united.

president roosevelt: i ask that the congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by japan on sunday, december 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the united states and the japanese empire. (music) >> at quebec, roosevelt

was churchill planned the invasion of europe and with the future of civilization in the balance, it is indelibly written in history. fdr wrote a new chapter in international relations, gave assurance to the people of china of aid in their war against japan. but the guiding hand in bringing together the many forces of east and west. such was the man who met stalin for the first time in tehran, who gave the world's first promise of complete accord between the three great powers. that these were called the big three was no empty phrase and franklin roosevelt, steadfast in his convictions, was the biggest of them all. steaming into pearl harbor for the first time since the outbreak of war, the commander-in-chief conferred

with admiral nimitz and general macarthur. that he took an active heart in the war in the pacific is now apparent. from this conference emerged the blueprint for the conflict in the philippines. fdr began his fourth term in office firm in his belief that men are capable of their own government. no king, no tyrant, no dictator can govern as wisely as they can govern themselves. upon that note, he placed the world's future on the conference table at the altar, made plans to bring together the people of the world in a just and lasting peace will stop history has recorded that first step as the san francisco conference. in this, his last report to congress and the american people is to be found the text of his life will stop in the last word of a man grown tired in public service is a heritage for all men everywhere. president roosevelt: i am

confident congress and the american people will accept the results of this conference as the beginning of our permanent structure of peace. upon which we can begin to build, under god, that better world in which our children and grandchildren, yours and mine, children and grandchildren of the whole world must live and can live. (music)

at that point, i lifted my head up from the foxhole to see what was going on and suddenly i heard a huge noise and i felt a shock. i realize that had been hit.

when president franklin roosevelt died in 1945, harry truman assume the role as president of the united states. up next author ha bayne talks about his book. the accidental president and which he looks at the challenge singe which truman faced in his four form first four months of office. >> aj bayne is the new york times bestselling author and public speaker and occasional on screen personality in addition to the accidental president, his book includes the arsenal of the democracy, fdr detroit. an ic