After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and other islands in the Pacific, the US responded by passing laws that allowed the government to removed over 120,000 Japanese citizens and Japanese-American citizens from the West Coast. These detainees, also known as 'enemy aliens,' were considered potential threats to US safety and the government believed both the country and these people would be safer if separated. You have seen several video clips -- including video from Pearl Harbor and the government's explanation of the internment camps produced in the early 1940s, read and analyzed President Roosevelt's 'Day of Infamy' speech, considered the 4th and 14th Amendments, and explored the Smithsonian's 'A More Perfect Union.' Definitely take the time to explore the words and memories of the detainees, as provided in 'A More Perfect Union.' Feel free to do some research on your own: find evidence of FDR's conflicted feelings about Executive Order 9066; what did J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI, think about the relocation effort?
What resonates? Whose voices emerge for you? Are there 'right' answers? Where are the ironies? Be sure to create links to particular videos, images, sites, transcripts, etc (at least three) that illustrate your messages. This should be around 700-750 words.
