Wendell Lewis Willkie (1892 - 1944) was a lawyer and an American politician, member of the Democratic party then Republican party and republican candidate with the presidency in 1940.

Wendell Willkie was born the February 18th 1892 in Elwood in Indiana.

After having fought during the First World War, it settles in Akron in Ohio where it militates for the Democratic party.

In 1929, Willkie, lawyer, become the legal adviser of " The Commonwealth & Southern Corporation" , the largest company of electricity of the country, of which he becomes the president in 1933.

In 1932, it militates initially for Newton Baker at the time of the democratic primary educations then adopts the candidature of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Arrived at the presidency, Roosevelt set up its program of New Deal, in particular by facilitating the installation of a public company, the Tennessee Valley Authority (VAT), qualified to bring less expensive electricity to the residents of the valley of the Tennessee. This authority entered in competition with the existing companies of electricity, in particular that of Willkie which became sharp a critic of New Deal. He did not manage to impose legislative restrictions on the capacities and competences of Tennessee Valley Authority and ran up frontally against Roosevelt.

In 1939, Willkie joined the Republican party on the basis of programme of opposition to New Deal. He also criticized the insufficiency of the military program of Roosevelt which was going to retort by creating the military service and by increasing the expenditure miltaires.

Willkie was indicated candidate of the Republican party to the presidential election of 1940 although it had never been presented to an election. The candidate with vice-présidnece was Charles McNary.

At the evening of the vote, Willkie obtained 22 million voice representing 44,78% of the votes and 82 Great Electors (for 10 States) against 27 million voice representing 54,74% of the votes and 449 Great Electors with Roosevelt.

After the elections, Willkie called with a national support for Roosevelt to awake America of its isolationism.

The July 23rd 1941, it required a help unlimited of the the United Kingdom in its combat against the Nazi Germany then went in Great Britain and to the the Middle East like staff representative of Roosevelt.

In 1942, it goes in the USSR and China.

In 1943, Willkie writes " One World, has plea for international peacekeeping after the war" to fight against the calls to isolationism. At the side of Eleanor Roosevelt, it is one of the founders of the House of freedom (Freedom House) to fight against the threats with peace and the Démocratie.

In 1944, it tries to be again republican candidate with the presidential election but its liberal positions and progressists clash in this increasingly preserving party. It did not give its support for the designated candidate, Thomas Dewey. On the contrary, Willkie started to work with the new Liberal party of New York in order to constitute and launch a new national party.

Its untimely death, of a Heart attack, the October 8th 1944, at the 52 years age, puts an end to the project.

The October 12th 1944, Eleanor Roosevelt paid homage to him by declaring that it was a “man of courage whose convictions affirmed in particular on the racial relations had brought much to the world”.

Willkie is buried with the cemetery of East Hill in Rushville (Indiana).

Wendell Willkie is not forgotten because its name was still quoted at the republican convention of 2004 by the key speaker, Zell Miller.