Question

Why do you think Roosevelt gave authorization to round up Japanese Americans suspected of being traitors and, later, ordered the construction of internment camps? What do you think about this decision?

Answer 1

Roosevelt authorized the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII due to race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of leadership, following anti-Asian sentiment and the Pearl Harbor attack. The Supreme Court supported this under national security grounds, although it was later recognized as unjust and reparations were made.

Step-by-step explanation:

President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the rounding up of Japanese Americans suspected of being traitors and later ordered the construction of internment camps during World War II because of a combination of race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

The Supreme Court upheld this order in Korematsu v. United States, cementing the idea that national security could supercede individual liberties. It was much later acknowledged that these actions were unjustified and in 1988, reparations and a formal apology were issued under President Reagan, signifying an acknowledgment of the wrongs done to the Japanese American community.