In chapter fourteen of A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki, the author elaborates how all nations contributed to political and economic climate during the 20th century. As World War II escalated in Europe and Asia, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made a speech to Congress on January 6, 1941, stating that we support those who struggle to gain human rights and that our nation has the destiny to have people gain freedom everywhere. Eleven months later on December 7, 1941, Japan dropped a bomb on Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt took the initiative of the Kellog-Briand Act, resulting in the United States entering World War II. This changed the United States relations with Mexicans, Africans, Japanese, Chinese, Jewish, and Native Americans. This …show more content…
Many Japanese felt that their constitutional rights were violated. Minoru Yasui stated, “If we believe in America if we believe errors are being made, has an obligation to make every effort to correct them.” (Takaki 345). The Japanese thought the best way was to just comply with evacuation orders, but with everything they lost, the most valuable thing they lost was their freedom. In order to neutralize the “Japanese propaganda”, the army formed an all-Japanese-American combat team. Roosevelt ignored the evacuation order and wrote to Secretary of War Stimson stating that no citizen should be denied the democratic right to exercise the responsibilities of citizenship, every loyal citizen should be given the opportunity to serve regardless of their ancestry (Takaki 347). The Japanese took this opportunity to express their loyalty and fulfill their obligations as a US citizen to serve in the military (Takaki 348).This was their ticket that they had something to give to America. Many Japanese were still discriminated against serving in the military and still face racial prejudice . But many of the Japanese migrated elsewhere and tried to get back on their feet by farming (Takaki …show more content…
Everyone’s focus was about the war and how to be at peace again. Many Jews looked towards the United States to immigrate for safety, but Roosevelt refused to take them in. A committee for the Jewish Army of Stateless and Palestinian Jews spoke out about their contribution to civilization, and the genocide they experienced to persuade Americans to save the remaining Jews. In June 1945 Roosevelt developed a rescue-through-victory strategy to save the remaining Jews (Takaki