Blog #38: Truman Doctrine

Truman begins by stating that the Greek government has asked for financial assistance in order to preserve its freedom. He states that Greece is poor and has suffered invasion, internal issues, and enemy occupation for years. After the Germans destroyed everything Greece had, the nation became in serious need of resources and money. Truman mentions that Greece also asked for American administrators, economists, and technicians to help it use the financial aid wisely. He says that the United Nations is investigating border violations near Greece as well, and that there is no other country Greece can turn to for help.
Additionally, Truman mentions that Turkey needs help modernizing, which is necessary in order for it to maintain its national integrity.
This leads Truman to explain that the United Nations must help nations like Greece and Turkey. He says that far too often countries do not choose a path of freedom, and therefore he would like to assist those who are willing to be free.
Truman believes that the failure of Greece as a democratic nation would effect the rest of the world. He believes that if this happened, discouragement and failure would spread to other countries who are striving to maintain freedom and independence as well. He believes that helping these nations would be an investment worth the freedom and peace that it would produce. He also mentions that the Legislative and Executive branches of the government must work together in this time of need.
In face of the large responsibility the United States is presented with (to assist countries who are in need), Truman in confident that Congress will not hesitate to take care of these issues.

President Truman realized that although it was not "order" to aid Greece and Turkey after WWII, it was a necessity because it would help maintain peace within the world and prevent those nations from resorting to communism.

The Marshall Plan was very similar to the Truman Doctrine, yet rather than being aimed at aiding only Greece and Turkey, it was put in place to help all of Europe. This picture shows men standing beside the first cargo of Caribbean sugar that was to be shipped under to Marshall Doctrine.

Blog #37: FDR's Executive Order 9066

Roosevelt begins his declaration of Executive Order 9066 by stating that the United States must be protected at all costs. He then goes on to say that he gives the Secretary of War the authority to enforce this Order. In other words, he will allow the Secretary of War to establish military areas that will contain people who are a possible threat to the nation. These people will receive transportation, food, shelter, and whatever else is necessary. Roosevelt mentions that he will allow the Secretary of War or appointed Military Commander to do whatever is needed to enforce the rules within these military zones, whether it includes Federal troops or other Federal Agencies. He then authorizes all Executive Departments, Federal Agencies, and other independent establishments to assist the Secretary of War by providing medical aid, food, clothing, transportation, etc. Finally, Roosevelt ends by stating that Executive Order 9066 will not modify or limit Executive Order No. 8972 or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

I understand why Americans were so paranoid after the attack on Pearl Harbor, but it was not right for the United States to put its very own citizens into confined military areas and accuse them of being enemies. This was horrible, because in reality, many American Japanese were disappointed in Japan and by no means supported such an attack. Although Americans were blinded by grief and paranoia, that is no excuse for turning on their very own citizens. In fact, in a time like that it is especially important that all Americans- of all heritages- come together as one and fight the true threat at hand- not each other.

Executive Order 9066 authorized the Secretary of War to create military zones for the Japanese Americans, who many viewed as a threat to America after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

Executive Order 9066 ended up creating many military zones that held innocent American Japanese people. The affects that this Order had on these people is reflected in "Home was a Horse Stall" (see blog #35). This Order forced many American Japanese to burn their valuable Japanese heirlooms, live in confined spaces, and be accused of supporting the attack on Pearl Harbor- which they did not support at all. 

Blog #36: FDR's Declaration of War

FDR begins his Declaration by stating that December 7, 1941, is "a date which will live in infamy" (a phrase that has become a familiar part of our WWII lexicon). He then went on to state that before the attack, the United States had been considering terms of peace with Japan, and there had been no hints of war. Even when Japan replied to an American message by saying that their diplomatic relations should not be continued, there was no suggestion of violence in the slightest. Nevertheless, Japan had gone out of its way to deceive the United States. It did so by expressing hope for continued peace only to keep America away from its true intentions. The very distance from Hawaii to Japan indicates that Japan had been planning to attack Pearl Harbor for quite a while. FDR then listed other nations that Japan attacked on that same day, and stated that many Americans understood that their nation was in danger and needed to be protected. FDR said that not only would all measures be taken to defend the United States, but it would be made certain that a similar act of violence would never happen again. Finally, he asked Congress to declare that since Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, a state of war had existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

There was one person who voted against the war in both houses. This was a woman named Jeanette Rankin. As a result, people accused her of supporting the Japanese, and her nickname became "Japanette Rankin."

FDR delivers his Declaration of War on December 8, 1941.

Jeanette Rankin voted against the war, and as a result, she became known as "Japanette" Rankin.

Although I am sure many people have this same synthesis, it is difficult not to see the similarities between the Declaration of War on Japan in 1941 and the Declaration of War on Germany in 1917. FDR declared war on Japan in response to its unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor. Similarly, Germany's violation of America's neutrality during the Great War (attacks on U.S. ships, Zimmerman Telegram) were unprovoked, and led President Wilson to take action against such a threat.

Blog #35: Home was a Horse Stall

Japanese internment camps were put into place by Executive Order 9066, or the Civilian Exclusion Order No. 27, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This was very unfair to Japanese Americans, because they were forced out of their homes, when in reality, many of them did not support the Japanese bombing at all. The majority of Japanese Americans were actually saddened that their people had become the enemy, and they lost much pride in their Japanese roots.

Here are my reactions to Sox's story:

1. The story about Sox is sad, because although she did not support the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, people were still suspicious about her family and people with similar heritage.

2. It is disappointing that thousands of American citizens were forced to sleep in horse stalls and burn their valued Japanese treasures. The fact that Sox was so happy to give her possessions to someone else (rather than burn it) really demonstrates how much Japanese Americans did not want their past to be lost.

3. I understand how tensions were high within the U.S. at this time, and I understand how people were quite paranoid, but the fact that so many people suffered as a result is not a good thing at all. It is frustrating that the Kataokas had worked so hard to have a good life in America, and now it was all taken away based on an assumption that was not true.

In 1988, this story was somewhat "repaired" when people pushed for laws that would prevent something like internment camps from ever happening in America again. As a result, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was established. This gave each surviving internee $20,000 to make up for their hardships. It also gave Alaskans compensation who had been relocated as a result of a Japanese invasion. Additionally, this act created a fund for teaching the public about the internment experience.

Notice for Japanese Americans to evacuate the area (preparing them to move to internment camps)

                                        

                                              Japanese Americans eating in an internment camp

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, people were paranoid that everyone with Japanese heritage was an enemy, and as a result, Japanese people were excluded from society. In a way, this is similar to when in the 18th and 19th centuries, black people were segregated from whites. In both instances, although not for the exact same reasons, a group of people were segregated from the rest of Americans and were forced to live as inferiors.