How we cite our quotes: (Sentence)
Quote #1
The nation's hands must not be tied when the nation's life is in danger. (103)
Metaphor alert! What he means here is that all resources must be available, and everyone must be ready to protect the country. In order for this to be possible, sacrifices have to be made in the way people prioritize their time and resources. There simply cannot be any restrictions when it comes to defending democracy.
Quote #2
We must all prepare to make the sacrifices that the emergency—almost as serious as war itself—demands. (104)
Since the devastation of World War II was unlike that of any kind of international conflict that had occurred before, the threat of it reaching America's shores sounded super dangerous. A serious threat demands serious preparedness to prevent something even more serious from happening. Sadly, that something serious—you know, the bombing of Pearl Harbor—happened anyway.
Quote #3
Whatever stands in the way of speed and efficiency in defense preparations must give way to the national need. (105)
Remember FDR's habit of repeating things? Whereas FDR's earlier statement that "the nation's hands must not be tied" (103) requires a bit of interpretation to understand what he means, this line is a bit more specific. The phrase "must give way" is a nice way of saying "move it or lose it" because dead weight, obstacles, and general interference with the war effort would not be tolerated.