The fourth inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd President of the United States was held on January 20, 1945. The inauguration marked the commencement of the fourth term (which lasted approximately three months) of Franklin D. Roosevelt as President and the only term (which also lasted approximately three months) of Harry S. Truman as Vice President.
Due to the privations caused by the Second World War, the inauguration was held on the South Portico of the White House, rather than the Capitol. The Parades and other festivities were canceled. This was the only time where a "regularly scheduled" inauguration ceremony wasn't either held or repeated the next day at the Capitol. The oath was administered by Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone and the subsequent address was one of the shortest on record.
It was also the last time during the 20th century that one Vice President swore in his successor, which was the tradition up to that time.
Famous quotes containing the words fourth, franklin and/or roosevelt:
“... men and women are not yet free.... The slavery of greed endures. Little child workers, the hope of the future, are sacrificed to industry. Young men are sent out by the billion to die for profits.... We must destroy industrial slavery and build industrial democracy.... The people everywhere must come into possession of the earth [second, third, and fourth ellipses in source].”
—Sara Bard Field (1882–1974)
“There never was a good war or a bad peace.”
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
“The forgotten man at the bottom of the economic pyramid.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)