Product Description

In early 1944, with the outcome of World War II by no means certain, many in the United States felt that FDR, as wartime Commander-in-Chief, was an indispensable part of prosecuting the war to a victorious conclusion. Yet although only 62, Roosevelt was mortally ill with congestive heart disease - a fact that was carefully shielded from the American public prior to the election of 1944. In a media environment where we get more details about politicians' health than we sometimes prefer, it is hard to imagine how a paper as authoriative as The New York Times could describe FDR's death as "sudden and unexpected" on its front page. Dr. Hugh Evans looks at the issue of Roosevelt's health not only from a medical ethics perspective, but also with a keen eye for the political and media considerations that led to the decision to run and not disclose the extent of Roosevelt's illness.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #677860 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

From Library Journal
In contrast to positions on the U.S. Supreme Court and to a lesser extent in Congress, the Presidency is a "killing job" for its occupant. On average, presidents die much earlier than their counterparts in the general population. Written by a professor of medicine (New Jersey Medical Sch.), this book surveys the medical condition of Franklin D. Roosevelt, America's only president to be elected four times. Critics have always charged that in 1944 the Democrats ran a dead man whose health undermined negotiations with the Soviets on the postwar world order at Yalta in early 1945, the year of the President's death. This volume makes it clear that FDR boasted excellent health at least during his first two terms and that he generally enjoyed himself until the end, despite suffering from serious hypertension. Evans points out that both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates on the 1940 Republican ticket, seemingly in robust health, died in 1944. Though much of this material is known to scholars, it is here evaluated in objective and readable manner. In offering a "third opinion" based on medical and historical evaluation of FDR's health, Evans raises serious questions regarding the health of political leaders in the nuclear age. Recommended for academic and public libraries.
William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
A worthy and well-written study by Hugh E. Evans, an eminently qualified and experienced physician. -- Journal of American History, December 2003

Fascinating reading! -- CA of Palm Beach, December 2003

His lucid discussion of Roosevelt's health, particularly in the context of the presidential campaign of 1944, is exemplary. -- Choice Magazine, January 2003

The HIDDEN CAMPAIGN is well-researched, well-written, and highly recommended for general readers and historians alike. -- Navy Medicine, Spring, 2003

Though much of the material is known to scholars, it's evaluated in objective readable manner. Recommended for academic/public libraries. -- Library Journal, 9/1/02

[Evans's] lucid discussion of Roosevelt's health, particularly in the context of the presidential campaign of 1944, is exemplary. -- Choice, February 2003

From the Inside Flap
"Roosevelt's declining health and the deceptions that abetted his final campaign are amply documented in this brief but valuable book. ... Drawing on newly available medical information, oral histories, personal interviews, and the work of other scholars, Evans concludes that Roosevelt might have lived longer had he retired but says that the president's sense of duty discouraged him from either taking better care of himself or asking hard questions of his doctors. ... [Evans's] lucid discussion of Roosevelt's health, particularly in the context of the presidential campaign of 1944, is exemplary. University libraries and specialized collections." -- CHOICE, February 2003

Customer Reviews

Very disturbing...
The Hidden Campaign by Hugh Evans is a very disturbing book. The goal of The Hidden Campaign is to investigate the cover-up that occurred among the doctors of Franklin Roosevelt to keep his serious health problems from the American people--especially during his campaign for a 4th term in office. The book raises many questions including: 1. Why was ENT (ear nose and throat) specialist Vice Admiral Ross McIntyre allowed to serve as FDR's primary physician? 2. Why didn't McIntyre treat FDR for chronic hypertension when it first appeared in 1937? 3. Why was FDR or his family never notified that he had congestive heart failure in 1944? 4. When a cardiologist was finally called in, why were his recommendations not followed? 5. Why didn't FDR's doctors tell him that he probably wouldn't survive a fourth term? This book tries to answer these questions and many more. It is obvious that FDR's life was sacrificed for the sake of the war effort, the nation and perhaps even for the benefit of his cronies.

Ross McIntyre is definitely the villain in this story, although Evans never really tells the reader who was calling the shots here. Even years after FDR's death, McIntyre was still trying to perpetuate the lies that FDR suffered from nothing more serious than bronchitis and sinusitis, and that his death took his doctors by complete surprise.

While I found this story fascinating, two things kept me from giving it five stars. First, parts of it read like a doctoral dissertation with actuarial charts of life expectancy of presidents, parents of presidents, FDR's children, vice presidents and cabinet members. Medical records in the appendix contain medical jargon that will not be understood by a novice. Second, at only 134 pages for the body of this book, I thought it was a little light. Still, it is an eye-opening story that shows how the life of perhaps the greatest leader in the 20th century was sacrificed (without his knowledge) on the whim of his doctors. This cover-up truly ended up being a tragedy for us all.

A fine book
This is a very scholarly book on what FDR's life was like from the medical point of view. Although that is the focus, and it is very authoritative in that respect because the author is a physician who has studied FDR's medical records and interviewed his doctors,the book is of more than medical interest. There is a policy aspect, and a moral aspect, that raises questions. What rights do we have to know about personal matters of our elected officials. Suppose a candidate would not reasonably be expected to live out a term of office. Should this be made public? Why? Why not? Is it unethical for FDR and his crew to have kept these matters secret? Isn't the U.S. better off for FDR's leadership during World War II, despite the fact that today's newspapers would have made mincemeat of him if his condition had been known?

The book is wonderfully written, and of interest to anyone who has a curiosity about the history of the War, or about politics in America. Of course, for FDR fans it's a must; but it's good and important reading for just about everyone else as well.

A must read!
A must read for students of the American Presidency, World War II and the role of the media, especially with regard to famous patients' right to privacy. The cover-up that this details is frightening in its implications - would it happen again in this current age of information?