In his “Four Freedoms Speech,” Franklin D. Roosevelt challenges the prevailing isolationist sentiments of the United States. Against the backdrop of a world embroiled in World War II, his address advocates for a more proactive role in international affairs. Acknowledging the isolationist sentiments that had defined American foreign policy in the preceding years, Roosevelt’s speech seeks to redefine the role of the US on the international stage. To dissuade his audience from entrenched insular beliefs, he emphasizes the interconnectedness of global events and the war’s relevance to the future of the American people, presenting World War II as a unique threat to America’s safety and values.

In his speech, Roosevelt anticipates and addresses the opposition his argument will likely receive from isolationists. He implicitly acknowledges the emotional and economic toll of World War I, stating that the US has previously “been disturbed by events in other Continents” (4). He also acknowledges the failure of the peace treaty ending the Great War, referencing the “imperfections in the Peace of Versailles” (11). However, Roosevelt makes a distinction between previous conflicts and the current situation, pointing out that from 1815 to 1914, no single war in Europe or Asia posed a real threat to America.