234 a short history of the united states
FDR let it be known that he would accept nomination for a third
term, even though it would violate the two-term tradition begun by
George Washington. The Democrats really had little choice. The ex-
tremely popular President enjoyed national support and could not be
denied. He was nominated unanimously on the first ballot. He then
chose the left-leaning Secretary of Agriculture, Henry A. Wallace, to
run for the vice presidency.
At first there was little difference between the two presidential can-
didates during the campaign, in both domestic and foreign policy. In
fact, Willkie approved the draft and the transfer of the destroyers to
Great Britain. Not until he accused Roo sevelt of leading the country
into war did he attempt to differ with FDR’s record. The President
responded by assuring the American people that he would not send
Americans into any foreign wars.
The election brought another triumph for Roo sevelt. He won a third
term by capturing a plurality of nearly 5 million popular votes (down
from 11 million in 1936 ) and a majority of 449 electoral votes. Willkie
won forty-five percent of the pop ular vote but carried only ten states,
for a total of 82 electoral votes.
In early December 1940, FDR received a request from Winston
Churchill. The letter explained Britain’s urgent need for munitions,
airplanes, and other military supplies to carry on the war but admit-
ted that the British government did not have the money to pay for
them. Because of the mounting submarine attacks by the Germans,
Britain desperately needed American help in order to keep the North
Atlantic supply lines open. Roo sevelt solved the problem by devising
a lend-lease program. He held a press conference on December 17 ,
followed by a fireside chat over the radio twelve days later, in which
he explained to the American people the absolute need to lend or
lease equipment and supplies to Britain for victory over the forces of
fascism. “We must be the great arsenal of democracy,” he declared.
He concluded his fireside chat by saying, “I call upon our people with
absolute confidence that our common cause will greatly succeed.” He
made it clear that by this action this country fully committed itself to
the defeat of Germany.