Ava’s AP American Blog

President Truman first addresses the disastrous impacts WWII had on Turkey. Due to the country's lack of natural resources, they depend on other nations to stimulate their economy. They are extremely susceptible to invasions and lost many people, crops, livestock, and land during the war. It was very difficult for them to recover, leading them to seek assistance from the United States. Similarly, Greek also requires aid because they have a weak army useless against providing protection against attacks. The Truman Doctrine aimed to contain communism in Europe because he believes that a weak nation has a higher chance of being overtaken by it. The Red Scare was a wave of paranoia and fear that hit America, causing the President to take action in order to control those emotions.

After the Pearl Harbor bombing, Americans feared the Japanese and FDR took measures to ease their worries, like passing Executive Order #9066. It gave Military Commanders, the Secretary of War, and the Commander in Chief of the Navy and Army control over the internment camps. They are able to manage who leaves or enters, along with other services like food, shelter, and transportation. Sox from "Home was A Horse Stall" was sent to an internment camp and described the limiting conditions of it. Fear can cloud up one's judgment and rationality, which I believe is what occurred in people after the bombing. Their patriotism shifted into intolerance. Donald Trump has placed refugees into internment places. 

"A date which will live in infamy" is the quote FDR used to refer to December 7, 1941, where the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, resulting in the loss of many American lives. On the following day, he declared war on Japan. Previous to the attack, the United States believed that they shared peaceful relations and suspected no acts of violence. The country had to defend itself against hostilities and FDR is confident in the military securing victory. Japan has continued its attacks on places like Guam, Malaya, and the Philippines Islands.  Jeanette Rankin became known as, "Japanette Rankin" after voting against the declaration of war.  War is declared by both Wilson and FDR, though Wilson experienced more opposing views in the Senate than FDR.

Due to Japan bombing Pearl Harbor, prejudice and tensions increased against the Japanese population in America. President Teddy Roosevelt created the Civilian Exclusion Order No. 27, where 112,000 Japanese people were sent to  Japanese Internment Camps. Sox received differing reactions from the people around her. The worker at the post office would purposely hold on to her mail so he could target her with invasive questions. He asked about her thoughts on the bombing and future of the Japanese. However, she experienced kindness from Mrs. Perkins, a woman her family worked. She prepared breakfast for them on the day of their departure. The camps featured small living spaces and soldiers that were unafraid to shoot anybody that came near the fence. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was later passed and $20,000 was given to people that were sent to the camps.  Anti-Japanese propaganda was used to further fuel hatred towards the Japanese

FDR begins his speech by stating his desire to be truthful nd open about the condition of the country. The Great Depression has destroyed the morale and lives of millions of Americans, whom he tries to comfort with his famous quote, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. It places reassurance in their hearts that he will lead them in this dark period of time. His words are very comforting, as he acknowledges the pain materialism brings, for it has been tied to happiness for too long. The public should develop gratitude for everything they have, and FDR offers solutions to this disaster, like safeguards and redistribution. FDR and Abraham Lincoln have similar undertones in their inaugural addresses because just like how FDR is dealing with the Great Depression, Lincoln has to manage the growing divide between the North and South, both leaving great strain on the country.

The Kellog-Briand Peace Pact involved two men, Nicholas Murrary Butler and James T. Shotwell. It is also called the Pact of Paris and was signed in 1928 by 15 countries in total. It aimed to preserve peace and make sure that the Great War was in fact, the war that ended all wars. It can be enforced by promoting demilitarization. The Mukden incident was when Japan invaded Manchuria, and it proved the ineffectiveness of the pact. The United States did not take any action to halt Japan in its tracks.  The Mukden incident proved that other nation's need to conquest other lands cannot be suppressed