Uncle Sam at War

1
Uncle Sam at War

• The U.S. in World War IIPacific Edition
• Chapter 35 Notes

2
Youre Either With Usor Against Us!...(or
Japanese)

• Japanese Americans had lived on the Pacific Coast
  for decades without incident
• Then the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor
• Now anyone who had any Japanese heritage in their
  background was viewed with a curious eye
• As you all know, Hitlers concentration camps
  devastated the Germans
• As you may not know, Americas concentration
  camps devastated the Japanese Americans
• The U.S. may be a great country, but there are
  times that we are not THE GREATEST LAND OF
  ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!

3
Japanese Internment

• During WWII 110,000 Japanese Americans were
  placed in concentration camps
• Two-thirds of them were American-born citizens
• These CITIZENS were locked up because of a
  perceived (and unfounded) belief that they might
  be spying for the enemy
• This is despite these U.S. CITIZENS having lived
  in the U.S. for generations
• Why would they support the Japanese over their
  home country?
• They wouldntbut the fear that they might, and a
  long-lasting anti-Japanese prejudice that existed
  on the West Coast led to Japanese Americans
  rights being taken away
• Not only were basic rights taken away, but income
  and wealth was also eliminated
• The internment camps forced the CITIZENS to move,
  often losing their land
• The internees lost hundreds of millions of
  dollars in property and wages they would have
  earned
• The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the
  constitutionality of Japanese relocation in
  Korematsu v. U.S. in 1944
• The U.S. government did officially apologize for
  their actions in 1988 and paid off the survivors
  with a reparations payment of 20,000 each
• Nothing like earning 20,000 for several years
  of virtual imprisonment

4
Friends of Rachel Sponsored a Chili Cook-Off
Today for the Teachers

• There are a lot of people in this school willing
  to help each other out if wed just act first and
  worry about the consequences later
• Im not saying to be reckless and do whatever you
  feel like, but pursuing ideas that are well
  thought-out with good intentions random acts of
  kindness a world thats just a little bit
  better
• We really can change things one day at a time
• Find things you enjoy doing with people you enjoy
  doing them with and have fun
• Why am I so laid back and smile so much? I like
  what Im doing and like being around you kids
  (yes, even you Tony and Isaiah)

5
The Japanese Were NOT Looking to Make the World
Better

• They may have been looking to make THEIR world
  better though
• The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor was not an
  isolated attack
• The goal of the Japanese was to win quickly so
  they gained as much territory as possible in as
  short of a time period as possible
• Yes, thats the goal of everyone in war, but it
  was more important for the Japanese because of
  the relative lack of strength of their military
  as compared to Americas
• Therefore, the Japanese attacked Guam, Wake
  Island, and the Philippines at the same time as
  Pearl Harbor
• Shortly after, Hong Kong (a British-Chinese
  port), British Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies
  were also attacked
• All of these islands were attacked for either the
  natural resources found on the islands or as
  places that the Japanese military could refuel at
• The Burma Road was cut, stopping a supply line
  between the U.S. and the Chinese (they were also
  trying to stop Japanese aggression)