(January 30, 1882 - April 12, 1945)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), was born to a wealthy family in New York and was afforded the opportunity to attend private schools and attended Harvard University and Columbia Law School.  When the First World War started, FDR worked alongside the Navy. Just after receiving a nomination as Vice President of the USA, FDR was struck with polio, which left him hardly able to walk, but he persisted and won the presidency in 1932 and remained president through 1945.  

When the Allies (Britain and Russia) to the United States were attacked in the Second World War, FDR sent aid to help, but did not take any military action until the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941.  Throughout the war, FDR constantly worked closely with Allied leaders, Churchill and Stalin, to develop a plan to stop the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) and bring an end to the Second World War. In April 1945, his health had deteriorated to the point that he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died within hours.  With just weeks before the end of the war, the presidency was passed to his Vice President, Harry Truman.