Franklin D. Roosevelt:Powerful (Part Two)

VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents.
美国之音慢速英语介绍美国总统栏目。

Today we are talking about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Earlier we told about his rise to power, and his health problems. When he was 39 years old, FDR – as he was often called – became paralyzed¹ from the waist down. He was never able to walk independently again.
今天，我们继续谈论富兰克林·德拉诺·罗斯福。之前，我们讲述了他的崛起之路以及健康问题。39岁那年，罗斯福腰部以下全部瘫痪，从此以后再也无法独立行走。

But that did not prevent him from becoming one of the country’s most powerful presidents.
但瘫痪并没有阻止他成为美国最有权力的总统之一。

Presidency: The Great Depression and the New Deal 总统任期：大萧条和新政

When FDR took office, the United States was in a severe economic depression. Many farmers were not able to sell their crops for profit. Banks across the country had failed. A number of Americans lost their savings and their homes. And more than 25% of the workforce did not have a job.
罗斯福上任之时正值美国处于严重经济萧条当中。许多农人无法出售他们的农作物，全国各地银行都处于破产状态，许多美国人失去了存款和他们的家园，超过25%的劳动力没有工作。

Yet when FDR took office in 1933, he told people, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
然而，罗斯福在1933年上任之时告诉人们说，“我们唯一恐惧的就是恐惧本身。”

When Americans think of FDR, they often think of that statement. It showed his spirit of hope and confidence for which he became known.
当美国人想起罗斯福时，就会想到这句话。这展现了他的希望和自信的精神，他因此而闻名。

Americans also remember FDR for the way he began his presidency. In his first 100 days, he signed more than 70 bills into law. Some led to major changes in the country. They helped calm the country’s banking industry, provided federal aid directly to farmers and the unemployed, and created public works programs.
美国民众还会想起罗斯福刚刚上任的时候。在上任之初的100天内，罗斯福签署了超过70项法案。其中一些导致了美国的重大改变，帮助美国缓和了银行系统，向农民和失业者提供直接联邦援助，以及创建公共工程项目。

The acts formed the base of what FDR and others called the New Deal.
这些举措形成了罗斯福和其他人所称的新政。

Some New Deal programs – including the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Tennessee Valley Authority – created government-funded jobs. In addition to providing a paycheck for workers, the programs were meant to improve and care for the country’s natural resources. For example, workers planted trees, made roads, and built dams and power plants.
一些新政项目 —— 包括民间资源保护队和田纳西州流域管理局 —— 创造了政府资助的工作岗位。除了给工人们提供薪水外，这些项目对改善和保护国家自然资源也很重要。例如，工人们种植树木，修建公路，以及建造水坝和发电厂。

Americans continue to experience the effects of these programs today.
美国人至今都受这些项目的影响。

FDR is also remembered for the way he communicated with the public. At that time, as many as 90% of Americans owned a radio. So, from time to time, FDR spoke to the public on radio broadcasts that became known as “fireside chats.”
人们还记得罗斯福与民众沟通的方式。 当时，多达90%的美国人拥有收音机。所以，罗斯福时常通过无线电广播向人们发表讲话，也就是著名的“炉边谈话”。

The term created an image of the president sitting comfortably² near a fireplace, talking informally with a few close friends. In fact, FDR gave these talks from his office in the White House. But his voice was warm, and he spoke in an easy, conversational way to listeners, whom he called “my friends.”
这个词给人的印象是总统舒适地坐在壁炉旁，和几个亲密的朋友非正式地交谈。实际上，罗斯福是在白宫办公室发表了这些讲话。但他的声音温和，以令人舒适、对话的方式和听众交流，他称这些听众是“我的朋友”。

The combination of FDR’s hope, energy, and affectionate concern for everyday Americans made him popular with many voters. He was re-elected easily in 1936.
罗斯福的希望、活力和对美国人民日常生活的深情关怀使他受到许多选民的欢迎。1936年，他轻松赢取了连任。

But FDR had critics, too. Some pointed out that many of his programs failed. They cost a lot of money or were simply not effective.
但罗斯福也遭受了一些批评。一些人指出，他的许多项目失败了，花费了大量财力，或者没有效果。

Others said that FDR’s policy of massive government intervention was not American. It restricted capitalism and the free market.
其他一些人则表示，罗斯福大量的政府干预政策不像美国了。它限制了资本主义和自由市场。

Still others observed that FDR’s programs did not help everyone equally. Many New Deal programs aimed to put young, white American men to work. Women, racial minorities, and older Americans were often overlooked.
仍然有其他人评论道，罗斯福的项目并没有平等地帮助每个人。许多新政项目旨在让年轻的白人男性工作。女性，少数种族和老年人经常被忽略。

Critics and supporters alike also noted that FDR greatly expanded the power of the presidency. He added a number of full-time positions to the executive³ branch of government. And he took on the power of Congress to make laws.
批评者和支持者同样都注意到罗斯福极大提升了总统的权力。他向政府行政部门增加了许多全职岗位，并掌握着国会权力来制定法律。

Even the Supreme Court found that FDR had, in some cases, gone too far. It ruled that some of his actions were illegal.
甚至最高法院也发现，在某些情况下，罗斯福走得太远了。法院裁定他的一些行为是非法行为。

FDR worried that the Supreme Court would block many of his other New Deal programs, too. So he proposed a rule. It would give the president power to appoint six new members to the nine-member court. His appointments would almost certainly make sure that his New Deal programs could continue.
罗斯福也担心最高法院会妨碍他的许多其他新政项目。所以，他提出了一项规则，总统有权力任命9人制法院的6名新成员。他的任命几乎能确保他的新政项目能够继续执行。

Many historians point to FDR’s efforts at “court-packing” as one of the most extreme examples of his attempts to expand presidential power.
许多历史学家指出，罗斯福的“法院填塞计划”是他提升总统权力的最极端的例子之一。

But Congress did not accept FDR’s proposal. Nine justices remained on the Supreme Court.
但国会驳回了罗斯福的提议。9名大法官仍旧供职于最高法院。

However, those justices went on to approve FDR’s actions anyway. They supported programs such as Social Security, which was set up to help older adults, disabled people, and others who needed support; and the Wagner Act, which permitted workers to organize in a trade union.
然而，这些大法官最终还是批准了罗斯福的举措。他们支持一些项目，例如社会保障，能够帮助老年人，残疾人，和其他需要帮助的人；以及瓦格纳法案，允许工人组织工会。

While these efforts and other programs were important parts of FDR’s reform efforts, they did not stop the Great Depression. None of the New Deal programs really did. The economy continued to struggle.
虽然这些举措和其他一些项目是罗斯福新政改革的重要部分，但并没有阻止大萧条的延续，没有一个新政项目能够阻止，经济持续萧条。

Presidency: Declaration of war 总统任期：宣战

For several years, the president had been warning lawmakers and other Americans about the political forces in Japan, Germany, and Italy. Leaders in those countries supported nationalist movements and had already invaded or taken control of other areas.
几年来，总统一直就日本、德国和意大利的政治力量向议员和其他美国人发出警告。这些国家的领导人支持民族主义运动，并已侵略或控制了一些其他地区。

By 1941, more than 30 countries were involved in the conflict.
截止1941年，超过30个国家卷入了这场战争。

Many Americans had wanted the U.S. to remain neutral. They regretted becoming involved in World War I. For years, they had taken steps to prevent another major international conflict. Lawmakers had even banned the U.S. government from selling or giving weapons to warring countries.
许多美国人希望美国保持中立，他们后悔参与了一战。几年来，他们已经采取措施来阻止另一场重要的国际冲突。议员们甚至禁止美国政府向参战国出售或提供武器。

But FDR believed World War II was different. He believed that Germany was the clear aggressor and needed to be stopped.
但罗斯福相信二战是不同以往的。他认为德国是赤裸裸的侵略者，必须被阻止。

So, in the 1930s, FDR received permission from Congress to provide weapons to the countries opposing Germany. After Germany took control of France, FDR received permission to give direct military aid to Britain.
所以，国会在1930年代批准了罗斯福向同盟国提供武器。德国控制法国后，罗斯福政府可以向英国提供直接军事援助。

In addition, FDR began preparing the U.S. military for war.
此外，罗斯福开始为美国军事备战。

On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces bombed American ships at the U.S. Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. More than 2,400 Americans died at Pearl Harbor, and more than 1,700 were wounded.
1941年12月7日，日本轰炸了位于夏威夷的美国海军基地珍珠港。造成2400多人死亡，1700多人受伤。

The day after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Congress quickly approved FDR’s request to declare war against Japan.
珍珠港事件后，国会很快批准了罗斯福向日本宣战的要求。

Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. American lawmakers responded in kind⁴. The U.S., which had remained neutral for many years, was now completely involved in World War II.
三天后，德国和意大利向美国宣战，美国国会议员也做出了同样的回应。多年来保持中立的美国现在正式全面参与二战。

Presidency: World War II 总统任期：二战

During the war, FDR directed much of his attention to what would happen after the fighting stopped. He wanted to create an international order that would improve peace and cooperation. To that end, he helped organize 26 countries into a group he called the United Nations.
二战期间，罗斯福的大部分精力都集中在战后事宜。他希望建立一个提升和平与合作的国际秩序。为此，他协同26国组建了一个叫联合国的组织。

FDR also believed that the world’s future security depended, in large part, on cooperation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. He worked hard to create friendly relations with the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin.
罗斯福还认为，未来的全球安全绝大部分取决于美国和苏联之间的合作。他努力和苏联领导人约瑟夫·斯大林处理好关系。

Stalin, FDR, and British prime minister Winston Churchill all famously met at the Russian town of Yalta.
斯大林、罗斯福和英国首相温斯顿·丘吉尔出席了著名的雅尔塔会议。

There, the three men discussed plans to bring World War II to an end. They decided to demand that Germany surrender unconditionally. They also talked about diplomatic relations after the war ended.
他们在会议上讨论结束二战的计划，决定要求德国无条件投降。他们还讨论了战后的外交关系。

At the time, many Americans believed the Yalta conference was a success. Soviet officials agreed to enter the war against Japan. In return, U.S. officials said the Soviet government could re-gain control over parts of Northeastern China. Soviet officials also agreed to let countries in Eastern Europe hold free elections, and to share rights to veto U.N. decisions.
当时，许多美国人相信雅尔塔会议很成功。苏维埃官员同意介入对日战争。相应地，美国官员同意苏维埃政府能够重新获得部分中国东北地区的控制权。苏维埃官员还同意让东欧国家维持自由选举权，分享否决联合国决议的权利。

In the eyes of many Americans, the Yalta agreement showed that the United States and the Soviet Union would be able to cooperate.
在许多美国人看来，雅尔塔协议表明美国和苏联将能够合作。

Legacy 遗产

FDR did not live to see the effects of the Yalta agreement, or even the end of the conflict.
罗斯福生前没能够看到雅尔塔协议的影响，甚至是二战的结束。

He had been president for 12 years. A few weeks before the Yalta Conference, he had been sworn-in yet again.
他当了12年的总统。雅尔塔会议的前几周，他再次宣誓就任总统。

FDR had already served longer than any U.S. president. All others before him had followed the custom set by the first president, George Washington. They had served no more than two terms.
罗斯福担任美国总统的时间比任何总统都长。在他之前的总统都遵循第一任总统乔治·华盛顿的惯例，任期不超过两届。

In the winter of 1944, FDR was beginning his fourth term. But people close to him said he did not look well. Doctors also warned Roosevelt that his health was suffering.
1944年冬天，罗斯福开始第四任期。但他身边的人说他的健康状况堪忧，医生也警告说他的健康糟糕。

So, in April, FDR went to a warm water resort⁵ in Georgia where he often rested and recovered his strength. There, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. In other words, his brain began to bleed.
所以，罗斯福在四月份去了他经常休息和恢复力量的温泉度假村。在那里，他突发脑溢血，也就是说，他的大脑开始出血。

World leaders, including Stalin and Churchill, said they were shocked he had died. Many Americans felt the same. They stood alongside train tracks as his body was carried from Georgia to his childhood home in New York.
包括斯大林和丘吉尔在内的世界领导人都对罗斯福的过世感到震惊。许多美国人都有同样的感受。当罗斯福的遗体从佐治亚由火车运回他童年的故乡纽约时，人们都站在铁轨两边致哀。

He is buried there, at Hyde Park. In 1962, his wife Eleanor died and was buried next to him.
他被安葬于海德公园。1962年，他的夫人埃莉诺去世并安葬在他的旁边。

Today, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt are important figures⁶ in U.S. history. Many programs from the New Deal are still in effect now. FDR also changed the position of president into an active, powerful leader who legally intervenes in the economy and seems to have a personal relationship with Americans.
如今，富兰克林和埃莉诺·罗斯福都是美国历史上的重要人物。许多新政项目到现在都发挥着效用。罗斯福还将总统转变为一位积极、强大的领导人，他会通过法律来干预经济，并且似乎与美国民众有着私人关系。

And Eleanor Roosevelt developed a strong voice of her own. Her humanitarian efforts and work on behalf of civil rights and women’s rights have given her a legacy⁷ independent from her husband.
而且，埃莉诺·罗斯福也拥有属于自己的光辉事业。她为了民权和妇女权利所做的人道主义努力和工作给她留下了独立于丈夫的宝贵遗产。

Both admirers and critics point to the Roosevelts’ influence as evidence of their strong feelings about the couple.
崇拜者和批评家都指出，他们对这对夫妻的强烈情感证明了罗斯福夫妇的影响力巨大。

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