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Franklin D. Roosevelt
32nd President of the United States
President who signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing Japanese American internment
Overview
Franklin D. Roosevelt served as President from 1933-1945, leading the nation through the Depression and World War II. However, he also signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the forced internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans; 62% of whom were U.S. citizens. This mass imprisonment without charge or trial remains one of the worst civil liberties violations in American history.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066: On February 19, 1942, Roosevelt signed EO 9066 authorizing military commanders to designate"exclusion zones"and remove any persons from them. While race-neutral on its face, it was applied only to Japanese Americans.
RACIAL MOTIVATION: The internment was driven by racism, wartime hysteria, and economic jealousy. German and Italian Americans were not interned en masse despite the U.S. also being at war with Germany and Italy.
FBI OPPOSITION: FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (no civil libertarian himself) advised that mass internment was unnecessary, as the FBI had already identified actual security risks.
NO EVIDENCE: No Japanese American was ever charged with espionage or sabotage. The internment was based on racial prejudice, not evidence of disloyalty.
PROPERTY DESTRUCTION: Japanese Americans lost an estimated $400 million in property (billions today). Homes, businesses, and possessions were abandoned or sold at fraction of value.
CONCENTRATION CAMPS: The ten"relocation centers"were in remote desert and swamp locations. Guard towers, barbed wire, and armed guards belied claims they were for"protection."
COURT COVER-UP: The Supreme Court's Korematsu decision upholding internment was later revealed to have relied on government lies about military necessity. Solicitor General suppressed evidence.
LASTING SHAME: The internment remains a stain on American history. It demonstrates how quickly rights can be stripped from unpopular minorities during wartime.
Related Investigations (3)
Criminal Charges & Violations
4 documented violations
Rome Statute Article 7(1)(e)Crimes Against Humanity; Imprisonment: Mass imprisonment of 120,000 people based on race without charge(International Criminal Law)
Rome Statute Article 7(1)(h)Crimes Against Humanity; Persecution: Targeted Japanese Americans for persecution based on racial identity(International Criminal Law)
U.S. Constitution: 5th AmendmentDue Process Violation: Imprisoned citizens without charge or trial(Constitutional Violations)
U.S. Constitution: 14th AmendmentEqual Protection Violation: Discriminatory treatment based on race(Constitutional Violations)
Known Associates & Connections
Fred Korematsu
Japanese American who challenged internment
Sources & Documentation
3 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
Education
Key Timeline
January 30, 1882
Born in Hyde Park, New York
March 4, 1933
Becomes President
December 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor attack
February 19, 1942
Signs Executive Order 9066
March 1942
Mass removals begin
December 18, 1944
Korematsu decision upholds internment
April 12, 1945
Dies in Warm Springs, Georgia