Potential Essay Topics: 1. Compare and Contrast the strategies of the war in the Pacific and the war in Europe. Discuss the priorities of the allies, the generals and commanders, and the major battles. 2. Identify the arguments for and against dropping the atomic bomb. Identify who had ultimate responsibility for the decision. Discuss the merits of each side of the argument and take a stand. Support your position with details and facts from the text. 3. Discuss the arguments for and against interning Japanese Americans during WWII. Was it justified?

Japanese-American Internments

The Japanese-American Internments Objective: To understand the causes and effects, as well as the short and long-term impacts, of the Japanese-American Internments Context: December 7 th, 1941: Pearl Harbor, an attack by the Japanese on the Hawaiian base

A photo of the USS Shaw, as it exploded, at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 th, 1941, prompting revenge from the US. harbor.jpg

Causes of Internment By far, the main cause of the internments was a fear of anyone of Japanese descent following Pearl Harbor. By far, the main cause of the internments was a fear of anyone of Japanese descent following Pearl Harbor. The US and Japan’s “peaceful” feud before the attack prompted some concern as well The US and Japan’s “peaceful” feud before the attack prompted some concern as well In August 1941, Rep. John Dingell of Michigan suggested, to President Roosevelt, jailing 10,000 Hawaiian Japanese to ensure “good behavior” on the part of Japan. In August 1941, Rep. John Dingell of Michigan suggested, to President Roosevelt, jailing 10,000 Hawaiian Japanese to ensure “good behavior” on the part of Japan.

Causes of Internment (cont.) Roosevelt’s presidential Executive Order 9066 authorized the armed forces to consider any areas necessary of the US as military areas “from which any or all persons may be excluded,“ essentially the Japanese. Roosevelt’s presidential Executive Order 9066 authorized the armed forces to consider any areas necessary of the US as military areas “from which any or all persons may be excluded,“ essentially the Japanese. Internment was also popular among many white farmers, as removing any competitor proves convenient. Internment was also popular among many white farmers, as removing any competitor proves convenient.

Effects of Internment Nearly 120,000 Japanese-Americans were relocated inland, of which 62% were already American citizens. Nearly 120,000 Japanese-Americans were relocated inland, of which 62% were already American citizens. Over 1,000 Japanese, who renounced their American citizenship, were repatriated back to Japan Over 1,000 Japanese, who renounced their American citizenship, were repatriated back to Japan

Effects of Internment This girl, with her “ID tag,” is part of one of many families forced inland, out of their homes, due to the internments. This girl, with her “ID tag,” is part of one of many families forced inland, out of their homes, due to the internments. Academic/Relocation.htm

Japanese American teens, 1942 In February of 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered that all Japanese Americans living on the West Coast be rounded up and placed in prison camps. These families were awaiting a train to take them to an assembly center in Merced, California; from there, they would be sent to relocation camps in remote inland areas. (National Archives) Japanese American teens, 1942 Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Propaganda A depiction of a Japanese general during the war, representing someone to be feared. This fear largely prompted the general desire of America for the internment. A depiction of a Japanese general during the war, representing someone to be feared. This fear largely prompted the general desire of America for the internment. arning/Images/17B_L12/jsoldier.j pg

Executive Order 9066 (excerpt) Whereas, the successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection against espionage and against sabotage to national-defense material, national-defense premises and national defense utilities … Now therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deems such action to be necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any persons to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restriction the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion. Signed, Franklin D. Roosevelt, The White House, February 19, 1942 Franklin D. Roosevelt, The White House, February 19, 1942

Facts to Consider… March 20, 1944 Forty-three Japanese American soldiers are arrested for refusing to participate in combat training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, as a protest of treatment of their families in U.S. camps. Eventually, 106 are arrested for their refusal. Twenty-one are convicted and serve prison time before being paroled in May 24, 1944 Shoichi James Okamoto is shot to death at Tule Lake by a guard after stopping a construction truck at the main gate for permission to pass. Private Bernard Goe, the guard, would be acquitted after being fined a dollar for "unauthorized use of government property" --a bullet. October 27-30, 1944 The 442nd Regimental Combat Team rescues an American battalion which had been cut off and surrounded by the enemy. Eight hundred casualties are suffered by the 442nd to rescue 211 men. After this rescue, the 442nd is ordered to keep advancing in the forest; they would push ahead without relief or rest until November 9.

Japanese Internment 110,000 Japanese American Interred Upheld by Korematsu v. US Contributions of Nisei soldiers “442nd has been recognized as the most decorated unit in United States history. 18,000 total awards were bestowed upon the 442nd, including 9,500 Purple Hearts, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, Seven Distinguished Unit Citations, but only one Congressional Medal of Honor (Crost, Honor by Fire. 179)”

"Californians have properly objected on the sound basic grounds that Japanese immigrants are not capable of assimilation into the American population... Anyone who has traveled in the Far East knows that the mingling of Asiatic blood with European and American blood produces, in nine cases out of ten, the most unfortunate results". "Californians have properly objected on the sound basic grounds that Japanese immigrants are not capable of assimilation into the American population... Anyone who has traveled in the Far East knows that the mingling of Asiatic blood with European and American blood produces, in nine cases out of ten, the most unfortunate results". -Franklin D. Roosevelt, regarding the Japanese occupation in Western America. SOURCE:By Order of the President, by Greg Robinson

Korematsu v. US Justice Murphy, dissenting. No one denies, of course, that there were some disloyal persons of Japanese descent on the Pacific Coast who did all in their power to aid their ancestral land. Similar disloyal activities have been engaged in by many persons of German, Italian and even more pioneer stock in our country. But to infer that examples of individual disloyalty prove group disloyalty and justify discriminatory action against the entire group is to deny that under our system of law individual guilt is the sole basis for deprivation of rights.... To give constitutional sanction to that inference in this case, however well-intentioned may have been the military command on the Pacific Coast, is to adopt one of the cruelest of the rationales used by our enemies to destroy the dignity of the individual and to encourage and open the door to discriminatory actions against other minority groups in the passions of tomorrow....

Questions What were the causes and effects of the internments on America? What were the causes and effects of the internments on America? What were both the short and long term impacts of the internments? What were both the short and long term impacts of the internments? What views did leaders such as Franklin Roosevelt have concerning the internments? What views did leaders such as Franklin Roosevelt have concerning the internments?

Atomic Bombing of Japan

hattan/potsdam_decision.htm hattan/potsdam_decision.htm

Island Bases in Marianas and on Iwo Jima provided strategic staging areas for the bombing of Japan and dropping of the bomb.

Hiroshima & Nagasaki

To Bomb or Not to Bomb, p. 872 PRO PRO CON CON

Questions to consider… Was the bombing necessary? Was the bombing necessary? Was it necessary to use both bombs? Was it necessary to use both bombs? Was it necessary to bomb civilian centers of population? Was it necessary to bomb civilian centers of population? Does what we know now change whether the decision was justified? Does what we know now change whether the decision was justified?