The FDRs: Home for the Holidays

After the First War

When Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt married in 1905, it was a love match. Despite differences in their personalities and natures (he was outgoing, she was introverted), they truly cared deeply for each other, and found more commonalities than disparities.

But fifteen years and six children later (one died in infancy), those commonalities were weakening, and the differences were becoming more apparent. During the Great War (as WWI was called), they were living in Washington, where Franklin served as assistant Secretary of the Navy. He enjoyed the job and the town immensely. He was a social fellow with an easy smile and sanguine outlook. He also had ambitions.

On the other hand, Eleanor disliked the social constraints of the capital city, and the proscribed activities that wives of high level officialdom were practically forced to undertake. Socializing. Paying…