Attempted assassination of Franklin D. Roosevelt

On February 15, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt, then president-elect of the United States, survived an attack while giving a speech at night from the back of an open car in Miami, Florida. A man named Giuseppe Zangara, an Italian immigrant, tried to harm Roosevelt with a handgun. He fired several shots, which hurt several people nearby and seriously injured Chicago mayor Anton Cermak, who was very close to Roosevelt.

Zangara later said he was guilty of this terrible act and faced serious consequences. Roosevelt, however, was not hurt and went on to become the longest-serving president in American history, leading the country until 1945. This event showed how dangerous times can be and how important safety is for leaders.

Background

In 1929, someone sent a bomb in the mail to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was then the governor of New York. A worker in the mailroom accidentally stepped on the package, making the bomb harmless. The worker who made the bomb was sent to a hospital for observation.

During a difficult time called the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt promised to help America recover with something called a "New Deal". He campaigned against the Hoover administration and won the 1932 presidential election by a large margin against Herbert Hoover, the Republican president at the time. Roosevelt was set to become the 32nd president of the United States on March 4, 1933.

Assassination attempt

On February 15, 1933, 17 days before his inauguration, Franklin D. Roosevelt was giving a speech at night from the back of an open car in Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida. A man named Giuseppe Zangara tried to shoot him with a small handgun.

Zangara fired several shots, but Roosevelt was not hurt. However, several people around him were injured, including the mayor of Chicago, Anton Cermak, who was badly hurt and later died from his injuries. One woman near Zangara helped stop him by pushing his arm. Despite the danger, Roosevelt helped care for those who were hurt and took them to the hospital.

Perpetrator

Main article: Giuseppe Zangara

The attempt on President-elect Roosevelt's life was carried out by Giuseppe Zangara, an Italian immigrant and veteran of the Royal Italian Army. He was born in Ferruzzano, Kingdom of Italy, in 1900 and moved to the United States in 1923. Zangara lived in Paterson, New Jersey, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1929. He had limited schooling and worked as a bricklayer. There are differing views on whether Zangara was mentally ill and should have used an insanity defense during his trial.

Aftermath

Zangara said he wanted to harm leaders and wealthy people. He admitted to trying to hurt others and was sentenced to many years in prison. He later said he was ready to face serious consequences for his actions.

Sadly, one of the people hurt in the incident passed away a short time later. Zangara was held responsible for this and faced the most serious punishment allowed by the law. He was executed not long after.

In popular culture

The book and TV show The Man in the High Castle imagines a different history where President-elect Roosevelt was successfully attacked in 1933. In this story, the Great Depression continues, and the United States stays out of World War II. Because of this, Nazi Germany conquers Europe and the Soviet Union. The story also shows Japan invading the West Coast of the United States and Germany invading the East Coast.