Executive Order 9066

Definition

Executive Order 9066 was a presidential executive order issued during World War II by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that authorized the U.S. military to designate 'military areas' from which 'any or all persons may be excluded.' This led to the forced relocation and incarceration of over 110,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, less than three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
2. The order gave the U.S. military the authority to designate 'military areas' from which 'any or all persons may be excluded' without any specific evidence of disloyalty.
3. Over 110,000 Japanese Americans, the majority of whom were U.S. citizens, were forcibly removed from their homes and businesses on the West Coast and incarcerated in remote concentration camps.
4. The order disproportionately targeted Japanese Americans, while German and Italian Americans were largely unaffected despite similar national origin.
5. The Supreme Court's Korematsu v. United States decision in 1944 upheld the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066, despite dissenting opinions that it violated civil liberties.

Review Questions

• Describe the key provisions and impacts of Executive Order 9066.
  • Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, gave the U.S. military broad authority to designate 'military areas' from which 'any or all persons may be excluded.' This order led to the forced relocation and incarceration of over 110,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast, the majority of whom were U.S. citizens, in remote concentration camps. The order disproportionately targeted Japanese Americans, while German and Italian Americans were largely unaffected, and its implementation violated the civil liberties of those affected.
• Analyze the legal and constitutional implications of the Supreme Court's Korematsu v. United States decision upholding Executive Order 9066.
  • In the 1944 Supreme Court case Korematsu v. United States, the Court upheld the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066 and the forced relocation of Japanese Americans, despite dissenting opinions that it violated civil liberties protected by the Constitution. This decision set a concerning precedent that the government could suspend individual rights and liberties during times of war or national emergency, even in the absence of specific evidence of disloyalty. The Korematsu ruling has been widely criticized by legal scholars as one of the Court's most egregious failures to protect fundamental constitutional rights.
• Evaluate the historical significance of Executive Order 9066 and its lasting impact on civil liberties and the treatment of minority groups in the United States.
  • Executive Order 9066 and the subsequent incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II represent a dark chapter in U.S. history, where fear and wartime hysteria led to the suspension of constitutional protections and the violation of the civil liberties of a minority group. The order's implementation, and the Supreme Court's endorsement of it in Korematsu v. United States, set a dangerous precedent that the government can override individual rights in the name of national security. This legacy has had a lasting impact, serving as a cautionary tale about the fragility of civil liberties and the importance of safeguarding the rights of all citizens, even in times of crisis. The injustices of Executive Order 9066 continue to shape debates about the balance between national security and civil liberties, as well as the treatment of minority communities in the United States.

Related terms

Japanese Internment Camps: Concentration camps established by the U.S. government to detain Japanese Americans during World War II as a result of Executive Order 9066.

Civilian Exclusion Orders: Specific orders issued by the U.S. military under the authority of Executive Order 9066 that required Japanese Americans to report to temporary assembly centers and then be transported to permanent incarceration camps.

Korematsu v. United States: A 1944 Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066 and the forced relocation of Japanese Americans, despite dissenting opinions that it violated civil liberties.