FDR's Radio Address: Prayer on D-Day, June 6, 1944

Quick answer: What was FDR's D-Day prayer?

On the evening of June 6, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt went on national radio and, instead of a speech, led Americans in a prayer for the troops landing in Normandy. He warned that the road would be long and hard and that many would not return.

On the evening of June 6, 1944, Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the nation by radio. The night before, he had talked about the fall of Rome while knowing that Allied troops were already crossing the Channel. Now he asked Americans to pray with him. "Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor." The prayer did not promise a quick victory. It warned that the enemy was strong, that success might not come with rushing speed, and that many would not come home, and it asked God to receive the fallen. John reprints it in full and sets it beside Eisenhower's order of the day to the troops, "The eyes of the world are upon you," which is better known. Roosevelt's prayer, he argues, did important work of its own. It prepared the country for a long and costly fight, gave families a shared moment in a terrible hour, and framed the invasion in moral terms. For John, it shows that leadership in a crisis needs a moral vision and the courage to state it plainly, along with the strategy.

Why it matters for leaders: In a crisis, people need a leader who tells them how hard it will be and gives them a reason worth the cost.

Q: Where can you read the full prayer?

A: The full text of "Let Our Hearts Be Stout" is held by the FDR Presidential Library and the National Archives.

Q: What did Eisenhower tell the troops?

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By John Fenzel, founder and CEO of Heroes' Path Foundation