Reading questions for Wednesday, September 26

Excerpt from Justice at War

1. How did efforts of Japanese immigrants to improve their lives by attending college or saving their money and buying small plots of land fuel the anti-Japanese movement in California?
2. What did the Presidential Proclamation issued on Dec. 7 authorize? How many people were investigated?
3. What intelligence agencies had investigated the Japanese on the West Coast before the war? How did they gather information?
4. What was the ABC list? What was the Ringle Raid? What had the three intelligence agencies concluded about Japanese espionage before Pres. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066?
5. What was the purpose of the Alien Enemy Review Boards? Who appeared before the boards?

Executive Order 9066

1. The opening preamble states that "the successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection against espionage and sabotage..." Do you think the language every possible is too strong? Should the government have this much power, even in wartime?
2. The President gives designated Military Commanders power to prescribe military zones. Who may be excluded from these zones? Why do you think that there is no mention of Japanese in this order?

General DeWitt’s Letter

1. According to DeWitt, what was the military necessity that “impelled” evacuation of Japanese from the Pacific Coast?  How does this compare with the information in Justice at War?  DeWitt says “it is better to have had this protection and not to have needed it than to have needed it and not to have had it.”  Do you agree or disagree that this is proper attitude to take during wartime? 
2. What does DeWitt say about the affect of evacuation on agricultural production?  Why would he be concerned about this?