divergent outcomes, causes and lessons july 14, 2015

DIVERGENT OUTCOMES, CAUSES AND LESSONS JULY 14, 2015

INTERPRETATIONS VERSION ONE: INTERNMENT WAS FUNDAMENTALLY THE PRODUCT OF BROAD, DAMNING FACTORS WITHIN THE AMERICAN POPULATION WITH RACISM FOREMOST AND ECONOMIC RIVALTY, XENOPHOBIA, AND TERROR OVER JAPANESE MILITARY SUCCESSES AS CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS.

INTERPRETATIONS VERSION TWO: ALTHOUGH BROAD FACTORS WITHIN THE AMERICAN POPULATION PLAYED A ROLE, THE DIVERGENT OUTCOMES BETWEEN THE WEST COAST AND HAWAII DEMOSTRATE THAT MASS INTERNMENT REMAINED CONTINGENT UPON THE ACTIONS BY SPECIFIC OFFICIALS.

ASIAN IMMIGRANTS LARGE NUMBERS OF CHINESE FROM ABOUT 1849 JAPANESE FROM ABOUT THE 1880s FEWER THAN 300,000 PERSONS FROM JAPAN REACHED THE U.S. BETWEEN 1885 AND 1924

PERSONS OF JAPANESE DESCENT LIVING IN U.S. PER 1940 CENSUS CONTINENTAL U.S.: 126,948.07 PERCENT OF US POPULATION 90 PERCENT ON WEST COAST 75 PERCENT IN CALIFORNIA TERRITORY OF HAWAII: 160,000 34 PERCENT OF HAWAII POPULATION

GENERATIONAL DIVIDES CONTINENTAL U.S. 47,305 (37.2 percent) Issei 79,642 (62.7 percent) were Nisei and some Sansei HAWAII Issei 25% Nisei and Sansei 75%

EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066 FEBRUARY 19, 1942 AUTHORIZED ARMY TO EXCLUDE PERSONS FROM MILITARY AREAS AND TO TRANSPORT AND ACCOMMODATE THEM SHIFTS POWER FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ARMY JAPANESE ANCESTRY NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED TOTAL OF 119,803 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, ALIENS AND CITIZENS ALIKE OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY ARE INTERNED

DEEP CONTEXT RACISM XENOPHOBIA RACISM ECOMONIC FEARS

PROXIMATE CONTEXT FIFTH COLUMNISTS MAGIC INTERCEPTS ARREST OF JAPANESE NAVAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS

PROXIMATE CONTEXT SECRETARY OF NAVY FRANK KNOX PUBLICALLY CLAIMS JAPANESE TREACHERY AIDED PEARL HARBOR ATTACK JAPANESE MILITARY SURGE IN PACIFIC

KEY CATALYST WITHIN GOVERNMENT MAJOR GENERAL ALLEN W. ULLION GULLION, ARMY PROVOST MARSHALL MARSHA GULLIONS INDISPENSABLE SUBORDINATE: MAJOR KARL K. BENDETSEN, ALIENS DIVISION, PROVOST MARSHALLS OFFICE

CRTICAL OBSTACLES BEFORE GULLION UNDER U.S. LAW, MILITARY COMMANDERS ONLY EXERCISED CONTROL OVER CIVILIANS WITHIN THE AREA OF THE IMMEDIATE BATTLEFIELD RESPONSBILITY FOR ALIENS RESTED WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

GULLIONS HEROIC OPPONENT IN THE GOVERNMENT: ATTORNEY GENERAL FRANCIS BIDDLE

BUREAUCRATIC MANEUVERS OF GULLION STEP ONE: WITHIN THE ARMY SECURE SOLE AND EFFECTIVELY UNCHECKED RESPONSIBILITY OVER ISSUE STEP TWO: OUT MANEUVER BIDDLE ON JURISDICTION WITH WHOLE GOVERMENT

WEST COAST COMMANDER: LT. GEN. JOHN L. DEWITT (NOTHERO)

JANUARY 25, 1942 GENERATIONS OF RACISM GENERATIONS OF ECONOMIC FEARS TREACHEROUS ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR REPORTS OF FIFTH COLUMN ACTIVITIES MASSIVE JAPANESE MILITARY SURGE

JANUARY 25, 1942 DRAFT ORDER FORWARDED BY SECRETARY OF WAR STIMSON TO ATTORNEY GENERAL BIDDLE GOVERNED ONLY ALIENS, NOT CITIZENS PROVIDED FOR COMPLETE BAR OF ALIENS FROM CATEGORY A AREAS (DEFENSE PLANTS AND MILITARY RESERVATIONS) PROVIDED FOR TIGHT SECURITY AS TO ALIENS IN CATEGORY B AREAS (COASTAL REGIONS)

JANUARY 25, 1942 TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS DIRECTLY AFFECTED: 7,000 FEWER THAN 3,000 PERSONS OF JAPANESE DESCENT

MORTON GRODZINS STUDY EXAMINED 112 CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPERS FROM DECEMBER 8, 1941 TO MARCH 8, 1942 COUNTED OPINION ARTICLES, READERS COMMENTS AND NEWS ARTICLE EDITORIALS IN THIS PERIOD TOTALED 105.5 FAVORABLE TO PERSONS OF JAPANESE DESCENT AND 163.5 UNFAVORABLE PRIOR TO WEEK OF JANUARY 26, 1942, TIDE OF THESE ITEMS RAN 5 TO 1, FAVORABLE TO UNFAVORABLE AFTER JANURY 26, 1942, TIDE COMPLETELY REVERSED, 6.5 TO 1 UNFAVORABLE TO FAVORABLE

ROBERTS COMMISSION ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OWEN J. ROBERTS TWO ARMY, TWO NAVY FLAG OFFICERS

ROBERTS COMMISSION BASIC CHARGE: EXAMINE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK TO DETERMINE IF CUPABLITY EXISTED AS TO ADMIRAL HUSBAND KIMMEL OR LT. GEN. WALTER SHORT

ROBERTS COMMISSION ON ITS OWN INTITIATIVE, EXAMINES ISSUE OF LOYALTY OF PERSONS OF JAPANESE DESCENT CONFLICTING TESTIMONY Niihau Incident

ROBERTS COMMISSION PUBLIC REPORT JANUARY 24, 1942 KEY EXCERPT: There were, prior to December 7, 1941, Japanese spies on the island of Oahu. Some were Japanese consular agents and others were persons having no open relations with the Japanese foreign service. The spies collected and, through various channels transmitted, information to the Japanese Empire respecting the military and naval establishments and dispositions on the island. (Italics added)

IMPACT ON WEST COAST PUBLIC OPINION California Governor Culbert L. Olson, a liberal Democrat, to General DeWitt on January 27: Since the publication of the Roberts Commission Report [the people of California] feel that they are living in the midst of a lot of enemies. They dont trust the Japanese, none of them.

ROBERTS PRIVATE MEETINGS MEETS WITH SECRETARY OF WAR STIMSON JANUARY 20, 1942 MEETS WITH PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT JANUARY 18 AND 24, 1942

JANUARY 29, 1942 JUST FOUR DAYS AFTER JANUARY 25 PROPOSAL COVERING LIMITED EXCLUSION AREAS FOR ALIENS ONLY NOW CALLS FOR MASS INTERNMENT OF ALIENS AND CITIZENS

JOHN DEWITT: (GENERAL WEATHER VANE) INTERN ALL PERSONS OF JAPANESE DESCENT? 1941 DECEMBER 19 NO (ONLY ALIENS) DECEMBER 22 NO (EXPRESSLY REJECTS MASS ROUND UP) 1942 JANUARY 25 NO JANUARY 29 YES FEBRUARY 1 YES FEBRUARY 3 NO FEBRUARY 3-4 NO FEBRUARY 11 YES

LAST GASP EFFORTS TO HEAD OFF MASS INTERNMENT JANUARY 30: BENDETSEN AND ROWE (FOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT) WORK ON WEST COAST CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION FEBRUARY 1: BIDDLE INTERVENES AGAIN STATEMENT OF SUPPORT REBUFFED FEBRUARY 3: DEWITT WAIVERS; STIMSON DOUBTS

LAST GASP EFFORTS TO HEAD OFF MASS INTERNMENT FEBRUARY 4: MARK CLARK (FOR ARMY GENERAL STAFF) REASSURES WEST COAST CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION FEBRAURY 7: BIDDLE APPEALS TO FDRNO JUSTIFICAITON FOR MASS INTERNMENT FEBRUARY 5-10: GULLION AND BENDETSEN BEND MCCLOY TO SUPPORT MASS INTERNEMNT

FEBRUARY 11, 1942 TELEPHONE CALL SECRETARY OF WAR HENRY L. STIMSON

HAWAII CONTROL CASE FACTORS FAVORING MASS INTERNMENT ACTUAL JAPANESE ATTACK ACTUAL CONTINUED THREAT OF RAID OR INVASION MUCH HIGHER PROPROTION OF PERSONS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY TO TOTAL POPULATION RACISM ECONOMIC FEARS

HAWAII CONTROL CASE TOP FACTOR FAVORING MASS INTERNMENT ORDER FROM COMMANDER IN CHIEF (THE PRESIDENT) ON MARCH 13 DIRECTING A MASS EVACUATION

HAWAII CONTROL CASE KEY FACTORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AUTONOMY OF DISTANT COMMAND = RESIST PRESSURE FROM WASHINGTON LACK OF SKILLED INTERNAL ADVOCATE IN HAWAII FOR MASS INTERNMENT: I.E. NO GENERAL GULLION MORE TOLERANT RACIAL ATMOSPHERE VICTORY AT BATTLE OF MIDWAY REMOVES URGENCY

HAWAIIAN COMMANDER: LT. GEN. DELOS C. EMMONS

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT BEARS ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY

ROLE OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT STRONGLY ANTI-COLONIAL ADVOCATES EQUAL TREATMENT OF CHINA AS GREAT POWER ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE JAPANESE

ROLE OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FACING THREE GREAT ISSUES: FATE OF CHINA: 480 MILLION PEOPLE FATE OF PHILIPPINES: 17 MILLION PEOPLE FATE OF JAPANESE-AMERICANS: 122,000 PEOPLE

LESSONS THERE WERE TWO TEST CASES INVOLVING TREATMENT OF PERSONS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY BY THE U.S. IN 1942: THE WEST COAST AN HAWAII ON THE WEST COAST MASS INTERNMENT WAS INSTITUTED IN HAWAII, DESPITE EVEN A PRESIDENTIAL ORDER, NO MASS INTERNMENT WAS INSTITUTED

LESSONS RACISM CONTRIBUTED VERY IMPORTANTLY TO TREATMENT OF PERSONS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY, BUT IT CAN NOT EXPLAIN THESE TWO DIFFERENT OUTCOMES MASS INTERNMENT ON THE WEST COAST AND THE DIFFERENT OUTCOME IN HAWAII BOTH ULTIMATELY DEPENDED UPON ACTIONS OF SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS FOR ILL OR GOOD

LESSONS EXPECT THAT WHERE ISSUE OF LOYALTY ARISES CONCERNING A GROUP OF PERSONS, THERE MAY BE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE OF DISLOYALTY NEVER BASE POLICY AGAINST GROUP OF PERSONS ON ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THE HEAVY WEIGHT BORN BY PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSIONS TO GET THINGS RIGHT

divergent outcomes, causes and lessons july 14, 2015

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