Kennedy and Roosevelt - The Uneasy Alliance

This book sat in my shelves for almost 20 years, a remnant of a past relationship. No big deal and no emotional attachment, I was waiting for inspiration and decided to read what I thought was political science fodder.

A pleasant surprise, this book written by Michael R. Beschloss is an extension of a senior thesis written while at Williams College. Published in 1980, is only 276 pages long with extensive detailed footnotes and references.
The book lightly details the upbringing and prior family histories. becoming strong on the goal following each man's completion of schooling at Harvard. FDR attempting to gain foothold via his cousin Teddy's presidency and Joe Sr. moving above the Irish machine politics of Boston.

The two first crossed paths while Joe was running a Boston shipyard and Franklin as an Navy under-secretary, in that business conflict, FDR steam rolled the businessman by using the US Navy to take possession ships built for Argentina not yet paid for.

Following the WWI, Joe Sr. was successful in business both in as a stock market investor with Charles Schwab and later as a film company executive. At the same time FDR was basically failing at every business venture he joined, a man poor business acumen.
After the start of the depression, FDR currently involved politically in New York employed Kennedy to act as both pitch man to the Irish Catholics, Wall Street leaders, and William Randolph Hearst.
Following election Kennedy was employed as a business specialist for the New Deal government. These skills were used to rives both maritime law and form the SEC as first chairman. Both were generally viewed as successes.

In the late 30's Joe Sr. was pressing for a more important post, and after holding at arm's length appointed Kennedy to by Ambassador the Kings James Court. This as we all know ended badly, Kennedy strongly opposed US entry into WWII supporting the approach of Chamberlain. After assorted public skirmishes Kennedy resigned after having been made obsolete by usurpation.

By the end of WWII, Kennedy lost his oldest son, almost another and a son-in-law. Roosevelt was dead.

I enjoyed the book a great deal and felt that it was very well written. Largely written from the Kennedy's point of view, I think largely because Roosevelt was an enigma who excelled at manipulating people and worked under the shroud of a cadre of New Deal Socialists. 

Recommended read for history lovers.

Next onto Horseman, Pass By.

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