Roosevelt as Cold War leader

[The Federalist]

What if Franklin Roosevelt lives on to finish his third term as President in 1948? How would he be as a Cold War leader?

 

[Alexander Hamilton]

It was actually his fourth term. My personal opinion, based on the reading I have done, is that FDR would have been less decisive than Truman but would have eventually come around to a position that Stalin could not be trusted to keep his Yalta promises and that some sort of anti-Soviet allinace would be necessary.
Would FDR have been able to get the bipartisan backing for a Marshall Plan type aid program for Europe or a NATO type alliance after all of his battles with the GOP? Perhaps, but not as easily as Truman, an old Senate club man did.
Another factor to consider is that even if he served out his fourth term, FDR would have been in much poorer helath than the younger and more vigorous Truman. On the other hand, to almost an entire generation of Americans FDR was "the President" and he would have had a great deal more prestige and respect than the untried and somewhat under estimated Truman

 

[Trotsky]

Some book I read by Beschloss suggested that Roosevelt would've resigned after the two wars were won.

 

[Aelita]

Some book I read by Beschloss suggested that Roosevelt would've resigned after the two wars were won.

Given his health, that seems to be a likely outcome.

 

[Wendell]

FDR's resignation would have been poorly planned if it was to have happened, then.

 

[General Mung Beans]

Would Roosevelt still have dropped the atomic bombs on Japan?

 

[catboy637]

Would Roosevelt still have dropped the atomic bombs on Japan?

Ah, the important question...IMHO, he would have. FDR had seen the war, and he would have probably wanted not to have so many casualties.

 

[gtrof]

Ah, the important question...IMHO, he would have. FDR had seen the war, and he would have probably wanted not to have so many casualties.

Agreed if he was more than willing to use them against Germany, why wouldn't he use them against Japan.

 

[perfectgeneral]

I don't think he would have been so inconsistent over Poland with the Soviets. He would stick to the Atlantic Charter and resist there claims more forcefully (backed by nuclear weapons).