The Four Freedoms — Vocabulary
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
1941 State of the Union Speech
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But as time went on, as we remember, the American people began to visualize what the downfall of democratic nations might mean to our own democracy.†5 more

I use the word "unprecedented" because at no previous time has American security been as seriously threatened from without as it is today.†1 more

The American people have unalterably set their faces against that tyranny.†2 more

While the Napoleonic struggles did threaten interests of the United States because of the French foothold in the West Indies and in Louisiana, and while we engaged in the War of 1812 to vindicate our right to peaceful trade, it is nevertheless clear that neither France nor Great Britain nor any other nation was aiming at domination of the whole world.†

The need of the moment is that our actions and our policy should be devoted primarily — almost exclusively — to meeting this foreign peril.†

It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation.†

Since the beginning of our American history we have been engaged in change, in a perpetual, peaceful revolution, a revolution which goes on steadily, quietly, adjusting itself to changing conditions without the concentration camp or the quicklime in the ditch.†

And today it is abundantly evident that American citizens everywhere are demanding and supporting speedy and complete action in recognition of obvious danger.†

Secondly, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are committed to full support of all those resolute people everywhere who are resisting aggression and are thereby keeping war away from our hemisphere.†

There is much loose talk of our immunity from immediate and direct invasion from across the seas.†

The need of the moment is that our actions and our policy should be devoted primarily — almost exclusively — to meeting this foreign peril.†

Third, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are committed to the proposition that principles of morality and considerations for our own security will never permit us to acquiesce in a peace dictated by aggressors and sponsored by appeasers.†

During 16 long months this assault has blotted out the whole pattern of democratic life in an appalling number of independent nations, great and small.†

In times like these it is immature — and, incidentally, untrue — for anybody to brag that an unprepared America, single-handed and with one hand tied behind its back, can hold off the whole world.†

I suppose that every realist knows that the democratic way of life is at this moment being directly assailed in every part of the world — assailed either by arms or by secret spreading of poisonous propaganda by those who seek to destroy unity and promote discord in nations that are still at peace.†

I shall ask this Congress for greatly increased new appropriations and authorizations to carry on what we have begun.

We are working day and night to solve the innumerable problems and to catch up.†

We should remember that the peace of 1919 was far less unjust than the kind of pacification which began even before Munich, and which is being carried on under the new order of tyranny that seeks to spread over every continent today.†

They did not wait for Norway or Belgium or the Netherlands to commit an act of war.†

Such aid -- Such aid is not an act of war, even if a dictator should unilaterally proclaim it so to be.