Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32ndPresident of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war.

　　The only American president elected to more than two terms, he forged a durable coalition that realigned American politics for decades. FDR defeated incumbent Republican Herbert Hoover in November 1932, at the depths of the Great Depression. FDR's combination of optimism and activism contributed to reviving the national spirit.

　　Working closely with Winston Churchill andJoseph Stalin in leading the Allies against Germany and Japan in World War II, he died just as victory was in sight.