France

Winthrop Chanler writes a letter of condolence after the death of Quentin Roosevelt. Chanler fondly remembers meeting Quentin at the Issoudun airfield. He also recently saw “Archie” Roosevelt in Paris and heard that “Ted” Roosevelt had been hurt. Chanler regrets that it is the young who go to fight rather than the “old ones” like himself. Chanler sends his deepest sympathies to Roosevelt’s wife.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1918-09-09

Charlotte Schneégans sends a poem in tribute to Quentin Roosevelt.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1918-09-14

Chaplain Francis Patrick Duffy conducts religious services over the grave of Quentin Roosevelt in Chamery, France. The photograph shows the crude marking originally made by the Germans as well as the new cross placed by the Americans, with wheels from Quentin’s destroyed machine at its side.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1918-09-15

French Ambassador to the United States J. J. Jusserand writes to Theodore Roosevelt after the death of his son on behalf of the French President Raymond Poincaré to extend the same engraved statement memorial offered to the bereft mothers and fathers of France. Jusserand includes with his note a case containing the document and a letter from President Poincaré. Jusserand also knew Quentin as a child.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1918-09-21

Mary H. A. Allen writes a letter of condolence to Theodore Roosevelt after the death of his son Quentin Roosevelt. Allen cares for wounded infantry men who speak “admiringly and affectionately” of Quentin. Allen relates an amusing anecdote of meeting Quentin as a boy while visiting Leila Roosevelt Reeve-Merritt. Quentin’s early death is reconciled with the thought that he died “before ever sorrow had a chance to touch him.”

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1918-10-01

Herbert V. Jones sends Theodore Roosevelt an extract from a letter from his wife’s brother, Edward L. Buford, who was in the same air squadron as Quentin Roosevelt. Buford recounts the events leading up to Quentin’s death.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1918-10-02

Rufus Austin White describes his visit to Quentin Roosevelt’s grave.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1918-10-30

Draft of a speech with handwritten corrections. Theodore Roosevelt argues for a complete victory over Germany and her allies. Americans must only be fully American. Those who seek to be German and American are traitors. The United States “drifted into war unarmed and helpless” even though all signs indicated that intervention would be necessary. The American military is still not an effective force and all efforts need to be made to speed up the war and introduce a “policy of permanent preparedness.” Roosevelt believes that part of this preparation should be support for small farmers and wage workers.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-03-28

President Roosevelt agrees with Secretary of War Taft regarding the Japanese protests to the French position on neutrality. He does not believe it is time to state their position openly. The hunting had been slow, but two more bears and a bobcat have been taken.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1905-04-22

Richard Derby’s letter was a great relief and joy for Ethel Roosevelt Derby. Ethel is feeling better and is enjoying seeing her children in the home where she grew up. Theodore Roosevelt has been having fun with the children; sledding with Richard Derby, Jr. and cuddling with Edith Roosevelt Derby. He visited the National Army camp at Chillicothe, Ohio where admirable work is being done, but the men lack weapons.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-12-18

Theodore Roosevelt is pleased to hear from Sarah Bancroft Leavitt. Archibald Roosevelt is recovering from his wounds and is only concerned about returning to the front. Archie was awarded the French Croix de guerre and Kermit Roosevelt received the British Military Cross. Kermit has also been transferred to the American military as a captain of artillery. Ted Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt are fighting in France. Richard Derby is serving with the 2nd Division in France.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-06-01

Governor Roosevelt believes that the proposed canal should be fortified. If it is not, the canal would be another weak point to watch over during a conflict. If the canal had existed during the Spanish-American War, American forces would have needed to defend the canal to prevent the Spanish fleet from crossing into the Pacific Ocean and causing problems in a new theater. Roosevelt also favors an American canal as he does not want to see European powers gain new interests in the Americas.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1900-02-26

A sickly looking dove is caught in a birdcage fashioned from rifles and swords, with “Powder” kegs at the ends of a perch labeled “Peace Conference,” and topped with the flags of “England, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Japan, Russia, Spain, [and] U.S.” Caption: “Caged.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

The second Hague Peace Conference — formally, the International Tribunal on Regulations Concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land — was generally regarded as a bust before it began a few months subsequent to Puck‘s cover cartoon.

A bull labeled “France” is being attacked by insects shaped like clerical figures, which cause it to kick with its hind legs, knocking Pope Pius X off a stool and overturning a bucket and spilling “Papal Revenues.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

There is a French saying that France will never be anything if not Catholic; however of all the Roman Catholic countries through the centuries, and despite magnificent French cathedrals and associations, France probably has been the most aggressively anti-clerical of all countries. High (or low) moments in actions taken against the Church and papal authority have included the excesses of the French Revolution, and measures to restrict proselytizing, lessen government subsidies, and conform to various secular regulations.

In a shooting match between France and Germany, a white bird labeled “Peace” has just been released from a trap labeled “Moroccan Situation” and the contestants are each waiting for the other to shoot first. Gathered around the shooting platform are rulers from European and Asian countries, including Uncle Sam, Edward VII, King of Great Britain, and Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia. Caption: If either one of them shoots, it is all off with the bird. Hunting and Shooting Number.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-10-04

Theodore Roosevelt thanks David Jayne Hill for sending him a copy of the French Review, stating his particular interest in the article about the new party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-07-15

Secretary of State Hay encloses a pamphlet that shows how President Roosevelt is “held up to the ingenuous youth of France as a pattern and example.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-03-21

Examination of recent relations between the United States and the European great powers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-01-25

Eleven-year-old Theodore Roosevelt continues to chronicle his family’s trip through Europe in this diary. The diary begins with his trip through the Papal states, then through France, England and back home to the United States. Lists at the end include “Papa’s money,” “hotels” and “countries visited.”

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1870

Ten-year-old Theodore Roosevelt records his trip to Europe with his family. He records the names of hotels and towns where they stayed, people to whom he sent letters, everyday activities, how his money was spent, the names of friends he made in Europe, and lists of Dutch and German words he learned. Samples of plants and flowers he saw were pressed into the pages.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1869