World War II: Harry Hopkins


Figure 1.--


New Deal

President Roosevelt brought Harry Hopkins to Washington after his election as president (1932). He had assisted Roosevelt in social work in New York. He was appointed to head several New Deal agencies, the nost important was the Works Progress Administration (WPA, 1935-38). The President appointed Hopkins Secretary of Commerce (1938-40). As Europe spirled toward war, however, the President turned to Hopkins as an unofficial advisor on foreign affairs.

Aid to Britain

The Battle of Britain made a German cross-Channel invasion impossible in 1940. The triumphant German Wehrmacht, however, dominatd Europe. The Royal Navy was hard-pressed in the Atlantic. It was unclear at the end of 1940 if the British were prepared or able to continue the fight. The President while on a vacation cruise receive a letter from Prime Minister Churchill explaining that Britain was prepared to continue the fight, but was running out of money to purchase weapons and raw material. This letter would set in motion two actions. He decided to send Harry Hopkins o Britain. Second, he began to formulate Lend Lease. Before commiting America's defence to Britain, the President needed to know know just how determined Britain was. The American Army was still not equipped with modern arms. Should America provide the still limited production of armaments to Britain before its own military was equipped. Many around Roosevelt, including his closest adviser Harry Hopkins, were unsure how closely Roosevelt should tie American defenses to Britain. Roosevelt dispatched Hopkins to assess Britain's determination and situation. Churchill did not understand just who Hopkins was. His advisers told him that Hopkins was close to the President. Informed of Hopkin's WPA work, Churchill thought he was a social worker and began giving him statistics about loos (bathrooms) and electrity in British slums. Hopkin's interupted him. "Mr Churchill, I don't give a damn about your cottagers. I've come over here to find out how we can help you beat this fellow Hitler." Of course nothing could have pleased Churchill more. Churchill rose and said, "Mr Hopkins, come with me," and the two disappeared into Churchill's study. Churchill proceeeded to escort Hopkins all over the United Kingdom, from rhe Royal Navy Scappa Flow in northern Scotand to the Channel beach defenses in Kent. Hopkins was shocked by the ruins left by the Luftwaffe in British cities. They spent time together at Chequers, becoming fast friends. Churchill called him "Lord Root of the Matter". Churchill completely converted him to the British cause. No one really knew what Hopkins would say in private to the President when he returned to Washington. At a small dinner party hosted by Lord Beaverbrook before he returned, Hopkins rose to propose a toast. "I suppose you wish to know what I am going to say to President Roosevelt on my return. Well I am going to quote to you one verse from the Book of Books. ... "Whither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge, thy people shall be by peple, and thy God my God." Hopkins then added in on ending, "Even to the end." Tears were streaming down Churchill's face. [Goodwin, pp. 213-213 and Meacham] Privately Hopkins told the Primeminister, as Churchil describes it, "With gleaming eye and quiet contrained passion he said, 'The President is determined that we shall win the war together. Make no mistake about it. He has sent me here to tell you that at all costs and by all means he will carry you through, no matter wehat happens to him--there is nothing that he will not do so far as he has human power.'" [Churchill, p. 402.]

Churchill

Churchill has left us the best brief description of Hopkins. He called him "Lord Root of the Matter". In his ??? history bof the War, Churchill says of Hopkins, "... that extrordinay man, who played, and was to play a sometimes decisive part in thw whole movement of the war. His was a soul that flamed out of a frail and failing body. He was a crumbling lighthouse from which there shone the beams that led great fleets to harbour." [Churchill]

Lend Lease

Hopkins became the administrator of Lend Lease, the American program to supply Britain and the other Allies (Masrch 1941). The administration of Lend Lease varied as the War progressed. Hopkins after his trip to Britain was primarily concerned with getting arms to that beleaguered country as rapidly as possible. [McJimsey, p. 151.] There were huge administrative complications getting Lend Lease up and running. Hopkins was criticised for them, but he in fact did an impressive job working with the many different Departments and Congress as well as ballancing the conflictuing demands of the British and U.S. military which needed arms for its new draftees. To allay conflicts between the American and British military, Hopkins cleverly encouraged the formation of joint committess that were to begin the key relationship between the American and British military in World War II. Hopkins also forged a relationship with General Marshall that was vital for the success of the Lend Lease program. [McJimsey, pp. 152-57.] Hopkins was replaced by Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. (July 1941). He was appointed to lead the Office of Lend-Lease Administration which was established (October 1941). The Offiuce of Lend Lease Administraion was merged into the Foreign Economic Administration headed by Leo T. Crowley (September 1943). Finally at the end of the War, responsibility for Lend Lease was transferred to the State Department (September 1945).

Meeting Stalin


Atlantic Charter

President Roosevelt's key adviser Harry Hopkins was sent to Britain to lay the groundwork for the meeting. While there he flew to the Soviet Union to meet with Stalin and get a first hand report on Soviet ressistance as well as Soviet needs. (American military experts did not think the Soviets would be able to stop the NAI panzers.) Hopkins got back to Britain just in time to join Churchill on the Prince of Wales. He was not a well man, the flights to and from Russia were very difficult, and he had left his meecine behind in Russia. At the meeting he played a key role. Itvwas imperatuive that a joint statement be issued by the two leaders immediately after the meeting to gain the full publicity and image of joint purpose. A disagreement over trade issues threatened to prevent agreement on the text. Hopkin's genius was his ability to cut to the heart of an issue and he convinced Roosevelt to conceed the text on trade so that agreement coukld bereached on the joint statement. [McJimsey, p. 176-77.]

Special Adviser

Hopkin's firsr World War II assisnment was Roosevelt's personal envoy to Britain. At the time, Anbassadior Joseph Kennedy was more of an obstacle to aidining Britain than an assett. After Pearl Harbor, Hopkins was appointed to the War Production Board and served as Roosevelt's special assistant (1942-45). Hopkins would become the President's closest adviser, an intiate who eventually moved into the White House to be c;oser to the President. This put out the President's daughter Anna who had to move. It also meant a shift in his relationship with the family. He had been especially close to Mrs Roosevelt because of her concern with social issues. As his relastionship with the President became one of foreign affirs and war issues, he had less time to deal with the First Lady's concerns. Hopkins is probably the most poorly recognized American statesman.

Potsdam Conference (1945)

Hopkins helped arrange the Potsdam Conference for Harry S. Truman in the closing days of the War. After this because of failing health, he retired from public life. He died in New York City (1946).

Sources

Churchill, Winston S. Memoirs of the Second World War (Bonanza Books: New York, 1978), 1065p.

Goodwin, Doris Kearns. No Ordinary Time: Frranklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World war II (Simon & Schuster: New York, 1994), 759p.

McJimsey, George. Harry Hopkins: Ally of the Poor and Defender of Democracy (Harvard University Press: Cambridge, 1987), 474p.

Meacham, Jon. Franklin and Winston (Random House, 2003).






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Created: 5:16 AM 1/12/2011
Last updated: 5:16 AM 1/12/2011