Franklin Roosevelt: The War President Masked as Savior

 John T. Flynn’s The Roosevelt Myth presents a critical view of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidency. Instead of the image of a heroic leader saving the nation through the New Deal, Flynn argues that Roosevelt’s administration was characterized by political opportunism, economic failure, and a strategic move towards war to distract from domestic issues.

• Economic Failure: Flynn claims that despite significant spending and intervention by the federal government, the New Deal did not solve the Great Depression. By 1937, unemployment rates had barely changed, suggesting the economic policies were ineffective.

• Shift to War Strategy: Roosevelt, facing political trouble from his failed domestic policies, allegedly turned to war as a solution. This was not a spontaneous decision but a calculated strategy aimed at deflecting attention from domestic issues.

• Enticement of War: Roosevelt's administration reportedly used embargoes and other provocations, like cutting oil supplies to Japan and involving U. S. ships in actions against Germany, to create conditions conducive to war. This entrapment led to the belief that the U. S. was forced into conflict, when it was, according to Flynn, a deliberate manipulation.

• Human Cost: Roosevelt’s strategies reportedly resulted in a staggering human toll during World War II, with estimates of military and civilian deaths reaching as high as 60 million. Flynn asserts these deaths stemmed not from a fight for defense but from political calculation.

• Legacy of Democide: Flynn compares Roosevelt’s actions to other historical figures responsible for mass deaths, suggesting that Roosevelt's legacy should be viewed alongside history's greatest mass killers. He argues that propaganda and legality do not absolve him of responsibility for the war’s devastation.

Flynn concludes that Roosevelt manipulated American democracy rather than saving it. His presidency exemplifies the use of war as a political tool, ultimately leading to significant death tolls and suffering, suggesting that the glorified image of Roosevelt is misleading and built on elite-driven propaganda. Ultimately, his administration is presented as a cautionary tale in political manipulation and the consequences of war. 

E-book here:   https://cdn.mises.org/The%20Roosevelt%20Myth_2.pdf