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Date January 20, 1945; 72 years ago (1945-01-20) Location The White House,
Washington, D.C. Participants President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt
Assuming office
Chief Justice of the United States,
Harlan Fiske Stone
Administering oath
Vice President of the United States
Harry S. Truman
Assuming office
Vice President of the United States
Henry A. Wallace
Administering | ||
The fourth inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as President of the United States was held on January 20, 1945. The inauguration marked the commencement of the fourth term of Franklin D. Roosevelt as President and the only term of Harry S. Truman as Vice President. This was the first and only time a president has been inaugurated for a fourth term. (The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1951, limits the number of time a person can be elected President to two.) Roosevelt died 82 days into this term, and Truman succeeded to the presidency.
Due to austerity measures in effect during World War II, the inauguration was held on the South Portico of the White House, rather than the Capitol. The parade and other festivities were canceled as well. The oath was administered by Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone and the subsequent address was one of the shortest on record. This was also the last time that the outgoing Vice President swore in his successor, which had previously been the practice.