I think even today this photo makes me sentimental.

[Drunken Irishman]

And I wasn't even close to being alive on that April day in 1945.


An accordian player and a mournful crowd at Lafayette Square, located across from the executive mansion, on the day after the President's death

I'm sure some DUers were alive back then, what was it like when FDR died?

[Drunken Irishman]

1. It'd help if the photo actually worked, eh?

Should now.

[Maraya1969]

2. I was a mere thought back then but the photo is really touching.

[Aristus]

3. This photowas recreated for the TV movie "Franklin And Eleanor",

starring Edward Hermann. It was very moving, but still can't do justice to the inconsolable sorrow of the real thing.

Beautiful, classic image.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. Did you ever see Warm Springs?

[ChoralScholar]

5. I saw it...

I was disappointed that it wasn't more in depth than it was.

I did like it though. President Roosevelt singlehandedly saved this nation from financial ruin. What president would have the balls to do today what he did back then.

Johnson tried, but the fact that he was inherently crooked didn't help him.

[Drunken Irishman]

7. I agree.

I'm paraphrasing here, but there was a quote I read about how someone told Roosevelt that if he could get America through the economic hardships, he'd go down as one of the greatest presidents in American history. He replied back saying that if he couldn't get America out of its economic troubles, he'd go down as the last president in American history.

So true.

[ChoralScholar]

8. I was hoping it would be an in-depth on Roosevelt

instead, it was all about the stinkin' spa resort.

[Drunken Irishman]

11. I haven't seen it yet.

I've always wondered why they haven't made an epic blockbuster movie about FDR.

Especially with how liberal Hollywood is.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. I was almost two years old then...

So I have no memory of this.....

But I've seen the picture before, and it is very moving...

Thank you for posting it...:hug:

[Ptah]

9. My parents and grandparents revered FDR.

:cry:

[NNadir]

10. It was somewhat different than the Garfield assassination.

We were all very upset when Garfield was shot, but he hadn't been President for very long.

When McKinley was shot we were all upset about that crazy kid Teddy Roosevelt. We couldn't imagine how he could be President. Of course, I was somewhat older by that time - I was in my early 20's when Garfield was shot - so I knew we would survive it.

When Franklin Roosevelt died, everyone sort of knew it would happen - Roosevelt was so frail - but he'd been President for such a long time, one almost forgot that there wasn't a time when he hadn't been President.

[Drunken Irishman]

12. This can't be serious, can it?

You couldn't be in your early 20s when Garfield was shot, or you'd be around 146 years of age.

I'm confused now.

[Adsos Letter]

14. ...Question Everything...!!!

and welcome to DU and The Lounge... :rofl:

:D :hi:

[Frank Cannon]

16. It's possible. I remember when Julius Caesar was killed.

Controversial figure, he. I, for one, thought he was a bad-ass who might have whipped the corrupt Senate into some kind of shape. Most of my peers, though, didn't care for his power grab.

[NNadir]

17. I look young for my age.

I look like I'm a spry 105.

[Adsos Letter]

13. I wasn't quite alive yet...

but I think that FDR was either loved or hated, depending on what you thought about his policies (I'm pretty sure that those who loved him were in the majority). I don't think there was much middle ground. The New Deal policies were not greeted with alacrity by everyone...

But we sure could use someone like him right about now. :thumbsup: He was a great president during an extended period of national/world crisis.

PS: I was going to make some lame joke about the man in the picture crying because he was forced to play the accordian...but I think I'll pass...

:D

[Drunken Irishman]

15. It does remind me of that Family Guy scene.

Where Brian makes a joke about FDR and he's like "Too soon?"

haha

[trof]

18. I was 4 and I remember.

I was at my maiden great-aunts' (sisters) home when they heard the announcement on the radio.
Don't remember hearing the radio, just them crying and telling me that our president had died.