From the World War I Centennial News Podcast
Historian Corner:
Theodore Roosevelt and the First World War
In June 22nd’s WW1 Centennial News Podcast, Episode 77, Historian David Pietrusza, the author of the book: TR's Last War - Theodore Roosevelt, The Great War and a Journey of Triumph and Tragedy, spoke with host Theo Mayer about Theodore Roosevelt, his role in World War I, and the suffering that the war ultimately inflicted on him and his family. The following is a transcript of the interview:
Theo Mayer: Welcome to the Historian Corner. Now, we've talked a lot about the many amazing men and women of this amazing period in history and today we're gonna focus on a historical figure whose name we all know. A really interesting man and one of the biggest personalities of the turn of the century. The man who was president of the United States from 1901 to 1909- President Theodore Roosevelt. With us is historian David Pietrusza, who's here to help us understand the man and his role leading up to and during the war that changed the world. David, thank you for joining us today.
David Pietrusza: Thank you.
Theo Mayer: Let me start by briefly asking you to describe Roosevelt's two terms ending five years before the war broke out, so we have some context.
Teddy Roosevelt served as the 26th President of the United States between 1901 and 1909. At the time of the First World War, he still loomed large in the American consciousness.David Pietrusza: They're just incredibly energetic. TR just exhausts the American public and observers of his administration and himself. If he's not busting trusts, he's creating national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, passing a pure food and drug act, regulating the railroads and their rates, creating the Panama Canal, seizing that land from Colombia, circumventing Congress, getting the job done by hook or crook, resolving the Russo-Japanese war and winning the Nobel Peace Prize and sending the Great White Fleet around the world. He's just so busy all the time and when he's not doing that, he's reading a book a day and raising a brood of about five children, running all over Washington, riding horses and fording the Rock Creek. Just really fascinating the American public, the American media, like no president had in a very long time, maybe if ever.
Theo Mayer: Pretty outspoken as well and as America was not joining the war, and as the election of '16 happened, he was pretty outspoken about that, wasn't he?
David Pietrusza: At first, oddly enough, he's quite circumspect. When the Germans invade Belgium, he sounds almost Wilsonian about, "Well, the Germans have to do what they have to do. Nations have to do that," but then, particularly when the Lusitania is sunk, he is absolutely outraged and he verbally declares war on Germany and on the Wilson administration which he thinks is not doing enough, not being tough enough with Germany and not preparing for a war. If war comes, you should be prepared to fight it- the old "speak softly and carry a big stick."
Theo Mayer: He actually campaigned to become the general of the armies during all this when we finally declared war, didn't he?
David Pietrusza: Not to be the general of the armies. Remember, he has some perspective. His ego has its limits. He is known after leaving the presidency as Col. Roosevelt so he wants to lead a division of volunteers and Woodrow Wilson wisely says, "No. TR is blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, 50-ish, overweight and seriously insubordinate." Afterwards he's complaining that he cannot go over to France and says, "All I was asking was permission to go over and die." Pretty heavy stuff but the person who responds to him probably says, "Did you make that perfectly clear to the president, Mr. Roosevelt?"
Roosevelt spoke in front of crowds encouraging U.S. the go to war against Germany. New York City, 1917.Theo Mayer: Dark humor but really funny. If Roosevelt were to describe Wilson in one word, what word do you think he'd use?
David Pietrusza: Skunk, and he did, okay? Two words, Byzantine Logothete which I'm not sure what that means but it doesn't sound good. He just regards him as a liar, a weakling, an all around scoundrel and downright evil. TR really cannot stand the guy.
Theo Mayer: Okay. The other way around. If Wilson were to describe Roosevelt in a word or a couple of words what do you suppose he'd say?
David Pietrusza: Oddly enough, charming. He kills them maybe not with kindness but he kills them with silence. He knows when not to respond. He knows that TR has this attraction which he creates with the American people at an emotional level, Woodrow Wilson creates that on an intellectual level and it's not the same thing.
Theo Mayer: What's the most important thing we should remember about Teddy Roosevelt regarding World War I?
David Pietrusza: Teddy Roosevelt is really a war lover and this is not to be admired. In the 1890s he doesn't care who we go to war against. He just wants us to get involved in a rumble but he is right about preparedness, the soldiers are training with broomsticks on Governors Island in New York City. We have to rely on the British for tanks and on the French for airplanes, but there's a reason why we don't get to make that big push against the Germans for a very long time after we'd become involved in the war.
Theo Mayer: Now, Teddy Roosevelt really gave a lot to World War I in a personal way. Can you talk about that a bit?
David Pietrusza: Well, he got his war and he paid his price. He was not able to go over to France but one of his daughters went over as a nurse. Four of his sons went over. Kermit originally went to Mesopotamia with the British army. Ted Jr. is seriously wounded in France. Archie is seriously wounded. He's kind of held together by scotch tape at the end of the war and TR's youngest son- most believed son- Quentin, volunteers for the army air corps and on his second combat mission, he takes a German bullet right between the eyes. TR is of course really saddened by this, grief stricken. He gets the news. It's all stiff upper lip because TR is a real 19th-century kind of guy but he walks alone to the stable where Quentin's old pony, a little Shetland, a miniature is and he wraps his arm around that pony and weeps uncontrollably.
The Roosevelt Family, 1907. Five Teddy’s six children served overseas during the war. Alice (not pictured) went to France as a nurse, and all four his sons- Archie, Kermit, Ted Jr. and Quentin- fought. Quentin, seated on the far right, was killed in combat.Theo Mayer: [pause] Wow. Sorry. You got me there for a moment.
David Pietrusza: Gets me every time I tell it.
Theo Mayer: Well, David. Thank you for giving us these wonderful perspectives on really a most colorful American.
David Pietrusza: Thank you.
Theo Mayer: David Pietrusza is a historian and author of several books including TR's last war, Theodore Roosevelt: The Great War and a Journey of Triumph and Tragedy.
Podcast Notes and links
https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-bull-moose-in-winter-theodore-roosevelt-and-world-war-i.htm
https://www.amazon.com/TRs-Last-War-Theodore-Roosevelt/dp/1493028871