Final answer:
Executive Order 9066, instigated by the Pearl Harbor attack, led to the internment of Japanese Americans, while Executive Order 9981, issued by Truman, ended segregation in the U.S. military.
Step-by-step explanation:
The historical context for Executive Order 9066, issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, arises from the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. The aftermath of the attack heightened fears and racist assumptions about Japanese Americans leading to this executive order, which granted military authorities the power to designate military areas from which any persons could be excluded. This order primarily targeted Japanese Americans living on the West Coast and led to the internment of around 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent in relocation camps. This executive action is considered one of the most significant civil rights violations in U.S. history.
In contrast, Executive Order 9981 was signed by President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1948, in response to civil rights groups and black leaders demanding an end to discrimination. This order abolished segregation in the military and required equality of treatment and opportunity for all military personnel, regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin, effectively beginning the process of desegregation within the U.S. armed forces.