Franklin Delano Roosevelt, known most commonly under his initials FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States. He is the only president in the history of the United States of America to win four elections and was thus able to serve from March 1933 to his death in April 1945. During his tenure as president he faced two of the greatest crises the country had been through: the Great Depression and the Second World War.

One of his greatest achievements during this time of turmoil is one that cannot be measured: he managed to restore confidence in the hearts of the American people and create a sense of optimism, even during the Depression. However, there are other accomplishments, just as important, that can be measure and have been passed down in history. In this article we will present the top 5 accomplishments of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1. He reduced the rate of unemployment from 25% to 2% 

Franklin D. Roosevelt took to office on March 4, 1933 during a time when America was going through one of its greatest periods of crisis. The rate of unemployment had never been higher, industrial production had hit rock bottom and hundreds of banks were on the brink of being closed. During his campaign, Franklin D. Roosevelt had promised to bring relief, recovery and reform to his people. In order to do so, he proposed several economic reforms grouped together under the name ‘New Deal.’ Most of the reforms proposed during the first 100 days of his tenure sought to bring immediate relief to the tens of thousands of unemployed people. Some of them were sent to work on rural local projects, thus receiving a paycheck once more. During his presidency he managed to bring the rate of unemployment from 25% to 2%.

​2. He established agencies entrusted with a specific goal

Franklin D. Roosevelt saw an immediate need to provide regulations for what businesses could and could not do. In order to do so, he along with his advisers supervised the creation of different agencies. Each agency was created with a specific goal in mind. The Agricultural Adjustment Administration was established in order to support farm prices. The Civilian Conservation Corps was created in order to help young men find employment. Other agencies were made to insure bank deposits, regulate the stock market and even provide relief to the unemployed people.

​3. He created the largest government owned industrial enterprise

Another major accomplishment of President Franklin D. Roosevelt was reached in collaboration with Republican Senator George Norris. Together, they put the bases of the largest government owned industrial enterprise. The Tennessee Valley Authority was created in order to build damns and power stations. It controlled floods, modernized agriculture and brought electricity to the Appalachian Mountains. 

4. He supported the Allied forces against Nazi Germany

During Roosevelt’s second term, Adolf Hitler’s rise to power sent waves of fear through the entire Europe. All trembled at the idea that a new World War could start. Although facing opposition and being called a warmonger, the president slowly started to ignore the US’ isolationist policy and provided aid to the allied forces, sending military resources to China, Britain and the Soviet Union. By his third term, the isolationist sentiments had started to weaken, allowing Roosevelt to turn the US into an ‘arsenal of democracy’ for the Allied forces.

5. He rallied America against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan

​​On December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. This date, cataloged by the President as “a date which will live in infamy”, brought an end to the United States’ non-participation in the war. Though the American officials knew war could not be avoided, they had not anticipated such an attack that killed more than 3000 military personnel and civilians. Franklin D. Roosevelt formed together with his advisers a war strategy whose main objectives were crushing Nazi Germany and defeating Japan.