Bring us the fatted calf. (Well, no, not exactly...there was no such thing as a fatted calf after the Great Depression.)
The theme of sacrifice is present from the beginning to the end of this speech, but for most of the time, it's really only implied. Transitioning from peacetime to wartime would have inevitably required sacrifices in the form of food rations, restrictions on luxury items, and even reorganizations of time and energy to bolster defenses. With World War I lingering in recent memory, people would have known what lifestyle changes were in store.
It's not until near the end that FDR gets specific about exactly what he means by "sacrifice." And, not unexpectedly, he means money. So on top of all the restrictions that come with life during wartime, financial limitations are included. Perhaps this is why FDR so heavily emphasizes the gravity of wartime and the sanctity of happiness...people probably weren't happy to hear that sacrifice also included a chunk of their piggy banks.
Questions About Sacrifice
- What might be a reason that someone might not want to make sacrifices for the war effort? Try to think of an example other than being an enemy of the state.
- Is FDR's request for tax money to fund preemptive defense activities fair? Image having been born in 1900 and having lived through World War I and the Great Depression.
- Why does FDR place so much emphasis on a streamlined, unified war effort? Does the degree of focus he calls for really require major sacrifices to be made?
- What kind of sacrifices is FDR asking of Congress?
Chew on This
Even though the United States wasn't yet directly involved in World War II, times were still desperate, and desperate times call for desperate measures. FDR's requests for public and congressional sacrifices for the good of the country were a wise choice…and a mark of good leadership.
FDR is requesting too much from Congress because it requires the sacrifice of its constitutional powers of checking and balancing the executive powers of the president.