During WW2 there was an executive order to detain japanese-americans ...?

Question

in the U.S. until the war was over, this was in order to deter war acts internally. I realize we cannot apply this concept today agains Arab-decendants, but hypothetically, do you think we should if it was ethical in todays world? Why/why not?

Answer 1

It was a mistake then, and it would be an mistake now.

Lot's of people like to point out that there was no sabotage, so it must have worked. We didn't do the same to Italian-Americans or German-Americans and they didn't commit sabotage. Lack of crime is no proof of prevention of crime.

It is like putting you in jail because your father committed a crime, and if that is what people thinks is right, they missed one of the main reason we revolted from Britain.

Answer 2

I noticed that no one has mentioned the fact that, indeed, Italian-Americans and German-Americans were interned during WWII. As a matter of fact I think the worst treatment of all was received by the Germans who were living in America.
Roosevelt pressured South American countries to send their German nationals to the US for internment along with American Germans. They were put into camps just like some of the Japanese and Italians were.
Over 6,000 US German nationals and South American German nationals were returned to Germany DURING THE WAR and their American born children and spouses were forced to accompany them. These people were often arrested by the Nazies because they thought they were spies.
Germans and Italians, like the Japanese were forced to sell everything they owned and move into camps. Some lived near restricted areas like military bases and had to sell their homes and/or businesses and move.
The last German to be released was interned at a camp on Ellis Island and was not released until 3 years after the end of the war.
The situation for all 3 groups was much worse than I can tell you in a few short paragraphs. You need to check this out yourself. Just go to sites under World War II Internment Camps, German Internment Camps, etc.
Also, you may note, this was not just a case of racial bigotry at work. It was national hysteria and fear, it was the "polictical correctness" of the times, it was an attempt to keep votes by "protecting American citizens."

Answer 3

No absolutely not!! I mean this people have no fault...I would you like it being an American decendant in another country and being detained because of that....why should innocent people have to pay the price..I mean its illogical and immoral to round up all Arab decentants or Japanese or whatever to camps....we have learned through history this is the wong way to go about things like the Jews and Japanese...why repeat the same mistakes again..

Answer 4

After the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 1941, in both the United States and Canada, Japanese nationals in both countries where interned. Within six months and after many defeats in the Pacific at the hands of the Japanese forces, and the invasion of the Aleutian Islands fears of saboteurs were growing in both countries. This caused the governments in both countries to move Japanese Americans, and Japanese Canadians to internment camps away from the west coast, long after the war both governments apologize to their citizens for this action. You must remember that this was during a declared war in World War II, there is no declared act of war with any Arab nation at this point in time, as it stands now United States is under condemnation from many countries for its confinement of the prisoners in Cuba who are reportedly prisoners of war, who were captured in Afghanistan. If the United States is to uphold its own Constitution and it was wrong to confine its Japanese-American citizens in second world war, it would be just as wrong to confine any US citizen because their parents come from some other country. One of the things that has made United States one the greatest nations in the world over the past hundred years is its willingness to accept people from other countries, to make them Americans, to accept them as their own, to take in refuges, the persecuted, to protect those who flee to practice their own religion freely. If the United States does not stand for these things anymore, then it should lower its flag, tear up it's Constitution and throw away its Bill of Rights. It should never again hold up people such as Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and many others too numerous to mention for these people died for these rights and ideals. I hope this has answered your question.... from a friend in Canada.

Answer 5

No. It's racist and not moral. The U.S. is in the process of retribution payments to those Japanese-Americans, as a belated apology for a mistake. So why would we turn around and do it again? Arab-decendant U.S. citizens are U.S. CITIZENS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 6

actual it became 70% racial. the U. S. of 1940 became an truly 'racist' position. Asians, Africans were considered no longer almost as good as Europeans and were and were treated as unequals. then you definately have those unequal human beings under you attack your usa at Pearl Harbor...properly you could imagine the typical public racial reaction. the different 30% became because of time and numbers. the U. S. did no longer have that many jap human beings living contained in the U. S. and maximum of those had arrived from Japan purely at the moment contained in the perfect 20-40 years. even as the U. S. had thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of German human beings living contained in the U. S. as between the biggest ethnic communities and maximum of those were right here for one hundred years. The Germans were considered a secure area of the american 'melting pot' the recent jap were no longer.

Answer 7

Since it is unethical, as it was when the Japanese Americans were interned, to incarcerate american citizens who have committed no crime, what is the point of asking if it should be done. It's a moot point!

Answer 8

I don't think it's fair to condemn an entire group of people based on the faults of a minority of them. Heh, I'm German-American and, well, enough said, eh?

Answer 9

Yes, to wars off terrorism. I realize not all Arabs are terrorists, but neither were all Japanese our enemy's.

Answer 10

You're question is moot because to do so would be unethical...period. "Hypothetically" it would be unethical, just as unethical as it was when our govt. did it to Japanese-Americans and Japanese immigrants during WWII.