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The early years of World War II saw Nazi Germany take control of Europe.

By late 1941, as Adolf Hitler continued expanding

his empire, events in the Pacific escalated when.

Imperial Japan and America became embroiled in conflict

after the attack on the US naval fleet at Pearl Harbor.

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As smoke and fire engulfed the naval base

in Hawaii, America and its president Franklin D.

Roosevelt could no longer stay on the sidelines

of a war that had been raging in Europe for over two years.

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On December the 7th, 1941, the conflict expanded into a truly global war.

A state of war has existed between the.

United States and the Japanese Empire.

This marked the start of a new phase

in the Second World War, with America joining

the fight for what Roosevelt defined as the four freedoms.

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First was freedom of speech.

Second, freedom of religion and expression.

Third, freedom from want.

And finally, freedom from fear.

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The tale of how a nation that valued its neutrality and had worked so hard to

avoid war abroad finally joined the fight follows

the journey of Roosevelt, the man behind the American dream.

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Born on January the 30th, 1882, in Hyde.

Park, New York, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the

son of James Roosevelt and Sarah Ann Delano,

both from wealthy and well-established New York State families.

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On his mother's side, Franklin descended from a

French pilgrim who attempted the perilous voyage from.

England to America, sailing near the Mayflower.

Delayed by complications en route, Philippe Delanoy finally

reached American shores in 1621.

Two decades later, Klaas van Roosevelt, James Roosevelt's

ancestor, sailed from Holland and arrived in Newer

Amsterdam, modern-day New York.

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The Roosevelt's were a powerful family and Franklin

led a privileged life, studying at one of.

America's most esteemed universities, Harvard.

While there, at the turn of the 20th

century, his fifth cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, became president in 1901.

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Theodore quickly became a hero and role model

for the younger Roosevelt, who was inspired by his decisive leadership.

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Shortly after his cousin took office, Franklin met.

Theodore's niece, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, whom he later married in 1905.

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Eleanor taught Italian and Jewish immigrant children dance

in New York's Lower East Side, exposing Franklin

to the struggles of America's poor.

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It was a lesson he never forgot, and

together the couple later made significant strides in

improving life for the underprivileged.

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Six years after marrying Eleanor, Franklin followed in

his cousin's footsteps, running for the New York Senate.

After a successful campaign, he entered the State House at just 28.

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When Woodrow Wilson made him Assistant Secretary of

the Navy in 1913, Roosevelt formed a lifelong

connection with the Navy, becoming a strong proponent

of the submarine, which was crucial in countering.

Germany's growing threat to shipping.

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World War One began in 1914, but America stayed out until 1917.

President Wilson had hoped to maintain peace and

avoid exposing Americans to the horrors of trench

warfare, which had already turned gruesome.

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That changed in 1917, when a telegram revealed

that Germany was attempting to persuade Mexico to

join a military alliance against the United States,

promising to return Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

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After many sleepless nights, Wilson concluded war was inevitable.

On April the 6th, 1917, the U.S.

declared war on Germany, much to Britain's relief.

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Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty at

the war's outbreak, famously remarked, there are only

two ways of winning the war, and they both begin with an A.

One was America, the other air power.

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It took a year for the U.S.

to gather enough strength to make an impact,

but by mid 1918, thousands of American troops

were arriving in France daily, helping the Allies

push the Germans back and forcing them to surrender.

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During this time, Roosevelt visited the Western Front

and Britain, and on July the 29th, 1918,

he met Winston Churchill, then Minister of Munitions,

at a banquet in Gray's Inn, London.

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The encounter was not pleasant for Roosevelt, who

later recalled Churchill's rude behavior, saying he acted

like a stinker, little suspecting how their relationship

would evolve in the future.

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Just three months after Roosevelt's visit, Germany surrendered,

and the world rejoiced as the armistice was signed on November the 11th, 1918.

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But by then, millions had died.

Over 100,000 Americans perished, and more than

200,000 were wounded, leaving many in the.

U.S. convinced that European affairs should remain European.

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As America returned to peace, Roosevelt faced a personal crisis.

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Eleanor discovered his affair with his social secretary,

Lucy Mercer, and by 1917, she had moved

with their five children into a separate home in Hyde Park.

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However, they overcame the scandal, and as Lucy

ended the relationship, Eleanor remained a loyal and

devoted wife, later becoming a major political figure herself.

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As the Roosevelts resolved their personal struggles, post

-war America entered an economic boom, with the.

Roaring Twenties making the country a hub of glamour and excitement.

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With a thriving economy, more people could afford

luxuries like radios and cars, and Hollywood emerged

as an iconic part of American culture.

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Advances in filmmaking made movies more spectacular than

ever, giving rise to a new class of

celebrities, as audiences flocked to see stars like

Rudolph Valentino on Broadway and the silver screen.

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But there was a darker side.

Prohibition fuelled crime, and gangsters became as famous

as Hollywood's brightest stars.

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Despite America's prosperity, the 1920s proved difficult for Roosevelt.

In 1921, while on holiday at Campobello Island

with his family, he contracted polio.

Suddenly unable to walk, he spent the next

seven years pursuing treatments to regain mobility.

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Once again, Eleanor fought for him.

His mother, Sarah Delano, believed he would be

an invalid for life, but Roosevelt and Eleanor refused to accept defeat.

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Using iron braces on his hips and legs,

he taught himself to walk short distances with a cane or an aid.

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His determination was so strong that when he ran for

office in 1928, few supporters knew he relied on a wheelchair in private.

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But just as Roosevelt secured election as governor,

America's fortunes took a dramatic turn.

The most devastating stock market crash in history

shook the nation in October 1929.

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The Wall Street Crash marked the start of

a turbulent era that affected the entire world.

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Unemployment soared, millions lost their homes, and as

the glittering 1920s gave way to the Great.

Depression, the global economy reeled.

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Germany, already struggling with massive war reparations, plunged

into further crisis.

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Against this backdrop, Roosevelt launched his bid for the presidency in 1932.

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While America was not at war in the

traditional sense, Roosevelt approached the economic crisis like

a battlefield commander.

I pledge you, I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people.

This is more than a political campaign, it is a call to arms.

His new deal was a sweeping set of

policies aimed at tackling the crisis, rallying the

public to the voting booths.

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In 1933, a victorious Roosevelt entered the White.

House, committed to relief for the poor, financial

reform, and economic recovery.

He introduced the Social Security system, which remains

a pillar of American life today, and did

everything in his power to lift the country from despair.

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Unfortunately, Roosevelt was not the only new leader

to exploit economic hardship for political gain.

And far from the US west coast, German

citizens listened intently to the speeches of a

fervent new leader, Adolf Hitler.

He not only promised economic recovery, but also

retribution against those he deemed responsible for Germany's

suffering following the First World War.

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Unlike Roosevelt's altruistic reforms, Hitler pursued self-aggrandizement

and vengeance, blaming Jews and communists for Germany's

downfall and mobilizing violent Nazi forces for their eradication.

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Across the Atlantic, these developments largely escaped American

notice, but soon they too would confront the horrors of war.

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Globally, unrest escalated, particularly in 1935 when Italian

dictator Mussolini invaded Abyssinia, now Ethiopia.

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A year later, amid fierce Spanish Civil War

battles, Congress sought to assure the American public

of non-involvement, leading to the Neutrality Act's passage.

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Meanwhile, unemployment declined, the economy stabilized, and Roosevelt's

popularity secured his 1937 re-election.

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Yet, international tensions deepened as Japan invaded China,

prompting an exodus of Americans from Shanghai.

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Roosevelt responded with aid and, on October 5th,

1937, delivered a speech at odds with US isolationism.

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The peace, freedom, and security of 90%

of the world is endangered by 10%, threatening the collapse of law and order.

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We seek to avoid war, yet cannot ensure against its effects.

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His words suggested that, for Roosevelt, war might be inevitable.

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By 1938, Europe's instability worsened as the Nazis

seized Austria, the Rhineland, and Czechoslovakia, facing minimal

resistance from war-weary Britain and France.

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British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, prioritizing peace, struggled

with how to confront Hitler.

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Roosevelt, meanwhile, faced Chamberlain's disdain for Americans, whom

he saw as brash and unmannered.

Repeated White House invitations were declined, straining US -UK relations.

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Ironically, Chamberlain found Hitler more approachable, even traveling

to Germany for appeasement talks as the first

Nazi rally was broadcast to millions of Americans.

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Hitler's shrieking rhetoric and the Nazis' regimented Sieg.

Heil chants alarmed Roosevelt, who saw war as inevitable.

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Shocking news arrived just two months later.

The November 1938 Kristallnacht pogrom.

Outraged, Roosevelt publicly condemned Germany's actions.

The past day's news has shocked American opinion.

I could scarcely believe such things could happen in the 20th century.

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As the world recoiled from Nazi brutality and.

Hitler's defiance of the Versailles Treaty, Roosevelt sought

clarity on his ambitions.

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In April 1939, he telegrammed Hitler, demanding assurances

that Germany had no intention of invading 31

nations, questioning why the Nazis resorted to tactics

reminiscent of the Huns and Vandals 1,500

years earlier.

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A copy was sent to Mussolini and the

message was broadcast in America, hoping to sway public sentiment.

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Hitler's response was a furious two-hour speech,

denying aggressive intent while launching a scathing attack on Roosevelt.

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Hitler's duplicity was evident, but Roosevelt could do

little beyond watching and waiting.

Despite strained US-UK relations, Roosevelt sought to

strengthen ties by hosting King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in June 1939.

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Their visit bolstered Britain's image in America as

they toured the New York World's Fair and

the First World War's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

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However, both Roosevelt and the King understood Hitler's looming threat.

As the royal couple departed, Roosevelt wished them

well, but just 11 weeks later, Britain was at war.

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On September 1st, 1939, Roosevelt was awoken by

a call from the US ambassador in Warsaw.

Germany had invaded Poland.

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Understanding the gravity of this act, Roosevelt simply

responded, God help us all.

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Two days later, Britain and France declared war,

marking the start of a six-year global conflict.

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I am speaking to you from the cabinet room in Downing Street.

This morning, the British ambassador in Berlin handed

the German government a final note, stating that

unless we heard from them by this...

I have to tell you now that no

such undertaking has been received and that consequently

this country is at war with Germany.

Though Roosevelt assured Americans of neutrality, he urged

them not to remain neutral in thought.

However, most Americans opposed European intervention, sympathizing with.

Britain and France, but considering it their problem.

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I say we ought to keep hands off,

let them take care of themselves, and count me out.

Yet, Anglo-American relations found an unexpected saviour in Winston Churchill.

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Reappointed First Lord of the Admiralty, the day war was declared.

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Despite past tensions, Roosevelt eagerly corresponded with Churchill,

relieved to find a proactive ally in Chamberlain's government.

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While Roosevelt's neutrality declaration kept America officially out

of war, covert preparations began.

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In October 1939, leading Americans convened in Panama,

establishing a security zone extending miles into the sea.

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That same month, Albert Einstein, a refugee from

Nazi Germany, warned Roosevelt of Germany's nuclear ambitions,

prompting the formation of an advisory committee on uranium.

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Meanwhile, European nations continued to fall under Nazi

control, and America observed Britain and France's ineffectual

attempts to halt German advances into Denmark and

Norway, while Stalin's Red Army marched into Finland.

Reports of Jewish persecution also intensified.

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Writers like John Steinbeck and Eugene O'Neill

condemned Nazi antisemitism, joined by Hollywood stars Fred

Astaire and Bette Davis.

By June 1940, Nazi forces had stormed through

Holland, Belgium and into France, leading to Neville Chamberlain's resignation.

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On May 10th, 1940, Winston Churchill became Britain's wartime Prime Minister.

As Paris fell, Churchill appealed to Roosevelt.

The US voice and power may count for nothing if delayed too long.

With Hitler targeting Britain, Churchill desperately requested American

military aid, especially following the Dunkirk evacuation's heavy

equipment losses in May-June 1940.

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Though Roosevelt provided Churchill's requests, he doubted even.

Churchill's rousing speeches could sustain British morale against

Nazi aggression.

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However, Churchill's decisive attack on the French fleet

at Oran, preventing its capture by Germany, impressed Roosevelt.

He responded by offering Churchill 50 destroyers in

exchange for 99-year leases on British Caribbean and Newfoundland bases.

Yet, while Roosevelt was willing to help, the

American public remained unconvinced.

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Charles Lindbergh, aviation hero and staunch isolationist, led

the America First movement, arguing against US involvement.

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Having visited Germany in the 1930s and received

an award from Luftwaffe commander Hermann Göring,

Lindbergh viewed Soviet Russia as a greater threat than

Hitler and feared a European crusade would doom Western civilization.

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His stance found support among prominent businessmen, authors

and celebrities, including Walt Disney and actress Lillian Gish.

Even future president John F.

Kennedy sent Lindbergh a telegram of support.

Convinced of Lindbergh's Nazi sympathies, Roosevelt ordered an

FBI investigation, but no incriminating evidence surfaced.

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As Roosevelt struggled against public opposition, Hitler unleashed

the Luftwaffe on Britain.

Millions of Americans followed events via radio broadcasts,

captivated by the Battle of Britain.

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Journalist Edward Murrow played a key role in

bringing the Blitz into American homes, reporting live

from London's rooftops amid bombs and air raid

sirens, even capturing the hurried footsteps of civilians fleeing to shelters.

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At a time when survival was uncertain from one day to the next, so long and

good luck became the standard British farewell.

This soon found its way into Murrow's programs

as he concluded each broadcast with the poignant

phrase, good night and good luck.

Americans were visibly moved by Britain's plight and

public sentiment slowly shifted.

Some refused to wait for a change in

US foreign policy and risked everything to fight

for freedom long before such selfless service was requested.

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Between June 1940 and December 41, several hundred

Americans volunteered for the RAF, helping defend Britain

in the Battle of Britain.

Fighter pilots, navigators and air gunners faced a

10-year prison sentence, loss of US citizenship

and a $20,000 fine under American law.

Many brave volunteers claimed to be Canadian to avoid discovery.

Some perished in battle and were among the few the British owed their lives to.

As Britain fought on, Roosevelt prepared at home

with the Selective Service Act, requiring all men aged 21 to 36 to register.

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However, over 6,000 local draft boards decided fitness and deferment claims.

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While men queued for examination, Roosevelt reassured the

public, insisting he wouldn't send Americans into a

European war, framing it as preparation for national defence.

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He couldn't afford to lose public favour.

He had an election to win.

After two terms, Roosevelt pursued a third, an

unprecedented move in US presidential history.

Out of 48 states, he won all but 10, with 27 million voters returning him to

the White House in November 1940.

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As Roosevelt presided over Congress, he remained determined

to aid Britain, describing the US as an arsenal for democracy.

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His uplifting speech in early 1941 became synonymous with the American dream.

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In his State of the Union address, he proposed four essential human freedoms.

Freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship,

freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

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A world built on these freedoms, Roosevelt believed,

was the antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny.

Principles worth fighting for at any cost.

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Roosevelt soon had his chance to act when,

one month later, Churchill made a passionate appeal.

Give us the tools and we will finish the job.

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In response, in March 1941, Congress passed Roosevelt's.

Lend-Lease Act, which did exactly as Churchill requested.

By then, Britain had fought relentlessly for nine

months and desperately needed supplies.

Secretary of War Henry L.

Stimson told the Senate, we are buying, not lending.

We are buying our own security while we prepare.

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The Lend-Lease policy proved invaluable to the.

Allies, later extending to Russia as Hitler turned on Stalin.

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By mid-1941, the U.S. was committed to aiding the Allies short of war.

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U.S. convoys protected Allied shipping and U.

.S. aircraft carriers secretly ferried British fighter planes

to Mediterranean war zones, escalating the conflict globally.

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As Europe and America drew battle lines, Japan

became an increasing threat in the Northern Hemisphere,

triggering dramatic shifts in U.S. foreign policy.

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When Japan invaded French Indochina, U.S. aid

routes to China were at risk and American.

Pacific territories faced encirclement.

The Philippines, Americans since Spain's defeat in the

late 19th century, were in jeopardy.

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A historic 1935 meeting between Roosevelt and Filipino.

President Manuel Quezon had set a path to independence by 1945.

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But with Japan advancing, the small nation faced

grave danger and Roosevelt's response set in motion

events that would change the war's course.

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In July 1941, Roosevelt froze all Japanese assets

in the U.S. Britain and the Netherlands

followed, making it nearly impossible for Japan to

buy oil, essential for expansion.

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Since America supplied 95% of Japan's oil,

the embargo was catastrophic.

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In response, on the 14th of August 1941,

Roosevelt and Churchill met face to face.

Their past differences set aside.

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At long last, Mr. President, Churchill exclaimed, shaking Roosevelt's hand.

It was their first meeting since 1918 and

marked the beginning of a great friendship.

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Their four-day meeting aboard a ship off.

Newfoundland focused on war aims, resulting in the Atlantic Charter.

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This historic agreement declared that neither the United.

States nor the United Kingdom sought territorial gains.

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Churchill deeply respected Roosevelt, later saying, I felt

I was in contact with a very great man who was also a warm-hearted friend

and the foremost champion of the high causes which we served.

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Still, the meeting did not bring America into

the war as Stalin and Churchill had hoped.

Yet for Japan, the Atlantic Charter and the

oil embargo were seen as a declaration of war.

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Facing existential threats, Japan held an imperial conference in

Tokyo in September 1941, attended by the emperor and senior officials.

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Hitler was eager to pursue his European ambitions,

but anything that delayed US involvement was beneficial.

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He encouraged Japan to attack British-occupied Singapore

and India to divert America's attention from Europe.

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Consequently, Hitler pledged to declare war on America

if Japan acted, a move that ultimately proved disastrous for him.

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He believed America, with prominent pro-Nazi figures

like Lindbergh and a public favouring neutrality, wouldn't pose a threat.

It was a serious miscalculation.

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Meanwhile, US-Japanese peace talks baffled the German

ambassador, who doubted their sincerity.

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The US offered Japan a final peace deal,

promising to lift embargoes on oil and steel if Japan withdrew from Indochina.

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Prime Minister Konoe offered to meet Roosevelt in Hawaii, despite the risks.

He even proposed a pact under which Japan

would avoid war with America, even if US

actions led to war with Germany, violating the

tripartite pact with Hitler and Mussolini.

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But Konoe's efforts failed.

The Japanese military was set on war.

On 7 December 1941, Japan sent notification that

all negotiations had collapsed.

By the time it reached the White House,

Roosevelt and the American people already knew peace was no longer an option.

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At 8am on Sunday, 7 December, as the

Hawaiian sun shone lazily over the Pacific, a

sinister shadow emerged on the horizon.

Swarms of Japanese fighter planes approached Pearl Harbour.

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Before sailors could mount a defence, explosions and gunfire shattered

the morning calm.

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Bombs, torpedoes and bullets devastated the US naval force.

Amid the smoke and chaos, thousands of military

personnel and civilians perished.

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Roosevelt now had the mandate to lead America into war.

Speculation remains that the attack was not entirely

a surprise to him when news of the carnage arrived.

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By the next morning in Washington, thousands had

gathered outside the White House, awaiting Roosevelt's response

to the horrific attack.

His words would be etched into history, as would the event itself.

And he did not disappoint the Allies, rallying

his arsenal of democracy to take up arms against the Empire of the Rising Sun.

And dastardly attacked by Japan on Sunday, December

7th, 1941, a state of war has

existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

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On December 8th, Roosevelt declared that the United.

States had suddenly and deliberately been attacked by.

Japan's naval and air forces, and no matter

how long it took, America would defend itself

to the utmost, ensuring this act of treachery

would never again threaten the USA.

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Roosevelt's fiercest critics now favoured war, and the

nation, which had long upheld neutrality, united behind

the President as America entered the Second World War.

Battles on the continent of Europe, and the

Japanese on the continent of Asia, and on the islands of the Pacific.

Yet even as Roosevelt spoke, thousands of miles

away, the Philippines suddenly came under Japanese attack,

and it fell to Field Marshal Douglas MacArthur

to lead American and Filipino troops, who fought

together to defend these strategically vital islands.

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Aligned with Japan, the Axis Pact now drove

Germany and Italy to declare war on America on December 11th.

And as the USA joined the Allies, Churchill

was eager to meet Roosevelt to discuss war plans.

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Just before Christmas 1941, the two great leaders

met again, and within the White House, Churchill

created his own war room, covering the walls

with maps as British administrators filled the corridors.

During the Arcadia Conference, Roosevelt and Churchill strategised

their next moves, forming an informal alliance between

the USA, Great Britain, China, and the Soviet Union.

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Their objectives were to halt German advances in

Russia and North Africa, launch a Western European

invasion to crush Germany between two fronts, while

also aiding China and defeating Japan.

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Christmas Eve 1941 would be the only occasion

Roosevelt and Churchill addressed the public together, united

in their pledge to fight for a free

and decent world, and to remember those serving in the armed forces.

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Fine sentiments indeed, but in the Pacific, the battle was relentless.

Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on Christmas.

Day, followed quickly by Manila, the capital of

the Philippines, though fierce fighting continued for four months.

The Japanese also advanced towards Malaya and the

Dutch East Indies at an alarming pace.

Nevertheless, for Churchill and Britain, America's entry into

the war was a great advantage.

By January 1942, American soldiers began arriving in.

Britain, with numbers increasing dramatically in the years ahead.

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The American GIs made a significant impact on

British life, arriving with gifts for women, particularly

stockings, leading disgruntled British men to describe them

as over-sexed, overpaid, and over-here.

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However, the Americans responded with a jibe at.

Britain's famously unorthodox commander, Bernard Montgomery, saying the.

Tommies were under-sexed, underpaid, and under-Monty.

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Although many American troops were stationed in Britain,

the majority at this time were sent to

the Pacific to counter Japan's ongoing assault.

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In early 1942, the Japanese began bombing Singapore,

one of the British Empire's key commercial and military centres.

On February 8th, 23,000 Japanese troops stormed

the island, and to Churchill's horror, Singapore fell

by February 15th, which he called Britain's greatest defeat.

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In the Pacific, American General Dwight D.

Eisenhower did all he could to get aid

to the struggling Philippines, but failed.

The presidential palace in Manila was occupied, and

with 80,000 prisoners of war captured, horrifying

reports of their brutal treatment soon reached the USA.

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Filipino and American troops were forced to march

105km to a prison camp in the north,

an ordeal now known as the Bataan Death March.

An estimated 10,000 Filipinos and 1,200

Americans died en route from starvation, thirst, and torture.

The American press widely reported the atrocity, sparking outrage.

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Within months, the Japanese controlled Burma, Malaya,

Thailand, French Indochina, and the Malay Archipelago.

The Philippines president and his cabinet fled to

Washington to form a government in exile.

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While war raged in the Pacific, Eisenhower was

appointed head of the European Theatre of Operations,

his first mission being to implement Operation Torch.

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Devised by Roosevelt and Churchill, the plan aimed

to seize French North Africa as a base to drive Italy out of the war.

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From Gibraltar, Eisenhower directed Operation Torch, targeting Algeria,

Morocco, and Tunisia, marking the first major joint

operation between American and British forces.

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It was also where Eisenhower encountered General Bernard

Montgomery, affectionately called Monty by his men.

By February 1943, Eisenhower was made responsible for

the British Eighth Army under Montgomery's command, revealing

tensions not only between British and American troops,

but also at the highest ranks.

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Montgomery frustrated the Americans by

disregarding strategies that didn’t suit him,

leading to clashes with US generals George Patton and Omar Bradley.

Although Bradley remained courteous, Patton was as contentious

as Montgomery, earning the nickname Old Blood and Guts from his troops.

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On one occasion, Eisenhower had to intervene to save Patton's career.

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While visiting wounded American soldiers in hospital, Patton

shocked onlookers by slapping two young privates, accusing them of cowardice.

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Though their injuries were invisible, they were suffering

from shell shock, now known as post-traumatic stress.

Public outcry led many to demand Patton's resignation.

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But on Eisenhower's advice, he apologised before being

temporarily relieved of duty, later returning as a

key general in Europe's liberation.

Following victory in North Africa, Eisenhower led forces

into Italy, which soon fell to the Allies.

By 1943, Roosevelt and Churchill, recognising Eisenhower's tactical

brilliance, placed him in charge of Operation Overlord,

the European invasion beginning with D-Day.

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Eisenhower was tasked with organising one million combat

troops and two million support personnel.

On 6 June 1944, the Normandy beaches, Sword,

Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah witnessed the beginning

of World War II's final chapter.

By early 1945, victory was inevitable for the Allies.

It was just a matter of time.

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However, for Roosevelt, fate had a cruel twist

in store for the man who had done so much to defeat Hitler's axis of evil.

(dramatic music)

On 30 March 1945, Roosevelt travelled to Warm

Springs to rest before attending the founding conference of the United Nations.

(dramatic music)

On 12 April, he was taken to his bedroom with a severe headache and died later

that day from a massive cerebral haemorrhage.

(dramatic music)

Less than a month later, on 8 May

1945, America and Europe celebrated Roosevelt's long-fought

victory as Germany surrendered.

(dramatic music)

In the United States, V-E Day celebrations were dedicated

to Roosevelt's memory with flags kept at half-mast for a 30-day mourning period.

Churchill hailed him as the greatest American friend

and the greatest champion of freedom.

(dramatic music)

It was the end of an era and a new age was beginning.

The man who now carried Roosevelt's arsenal of

democracy forward was Vice President Harry S Truman,

who would lead America through the war's final chapters.

(dramatic music)

The conflict in the Pacific ended in August 1945 with

atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The West rejoiced at peace, but the devastation

in the East marked the dawn of a

new era in warfare as history's deadliest weapon

finally forced Japan's surrender.

(dramatic music)