Complex social and political factors shaped America's response to the Holocaust, from Kristallnacht in 1938 through the liberation of the death camps in 1945. For a short time, the U.S. had an opportunity to open its doors, but instead erected a "paper wall," a bureaucratic maze that prevented all but a few Jewish refugees from entering the country. When do you think the government should have become involved in helping the Jews and what should it have done? What were the factors that prevented the government from helping Jewish refugees enter the country?
38 comments:
I think it is horrible that the US wouldn't let Jews come here to escape Hitler and the Nazi's. I think we should have let them come to the US right from the beginning and tried to help as many people as we could. Before watching this documentary I never knew that the US stopped letting people come into the country during that time and learning that was quite shocking. Even though we were going through the Great Depression and we had some tough times here they still should have allowed Jews to come here, especially since the situation they were trying to escape was much worse. If we had started helping the Jew's right from the beginning I wonder how much of a difference that could have made and how many more people could have been saved.
I think that the government should have tried to step in right after Kristellnacht. I thought that it was horrible that the Jewish people weren’t allowed to get into the US. I think that the US could have done something to help stop or prevent the Nazis from doing all the harm that they did. I think that a big reason that we didn’t step in to help was because of the Great Depression. If we had not just gone through a depression than I would like to think we would be more likely to help because people wouldn’t be so fearful of losing their job. I think that we were being selfish and staying out of things because of fear. They should have tried to aid the Jewish people in some way instead of just letting everything happen and staying out of it.
I agree with Amanda, i think that we should have tried to help as many people as possible. I think that the impact of us helping even a few of the Jewish people would be huge.
I agree with Nicole that we were being selfish and staying out of things because of our fear. I think that we should have done something no matter what.
I agree with Nicole and the idea that the U.S definitely should have been able to step in and help the Jews when they knew they were in trouble. Maybe it is true that they didn't know the extent of the Nazi's brutality but there is still no excuse towards letting what happened go on. It is strange to hear the views of people who sided with Hitler and found that he was a beautiful person when our image of him today is of an awfully terrible man. It is strange to think about how well he was able to control his people just through language and what he had to say. In my mind it is almost like he had the ability to brainwash his people.
It's easy to say "we should have done this" in retrospect, almost fatally so. Look at the situation in Mexico and we see a slight parallel; while families live under constant threat of death or violation by drug cartels, the only viable escape--the United States--is having a paper wall of its own slowly built across the border. As long as we don't sympathize with, or at least view the carnage of, those being violated I have doubts as to whether we will make much of a difference in the end. The goal, thus, should be to eliminate such concepts as scapegoats and acceptable targets...but that in itself is a difficult task indeed.
I agree with Julie in that viewing Hitler as beautiful was a strange thing indeed. Perhaps it is my own prejudice speaking, but there are a great number of (what I deem) idiotic conspiracy theorists out there, most who maintain such arguments as there never being any planes involved in the 9/11 terrorist attack ("it was a hologram!") or the President being a reptile ("his skull shape ain't right"). Scary thing is, those people--who, ironically enough, call themselves "truthers"--have strong followings, especially by such impressionable individuals as found in many youth. Perhaps their brand of blindness and that of Hitler's supporters were one and the same.
I agree with Amanda that the U.S government should have stepped in earlier and allowed refugees in. everything that was happening in Germany was in the papers in the U.S so they were not ignorant to the situation. I do think though that maybe they might not have fully grasped what was actually happening but knew that it was something horrible. I also believe that the government was so wrapped up in trying to fix our economy and the problems faced in our own country that they didn't even think to help the Jews because it was happening somewhere far away. I am not saying that this is justified, just that this might have been the reason why. but I do believe that we had a duty to help those poor innocent people that we did not fulfill.
I think the government should have stepped in to help the Jews right after they knew they were in trouble. If they had done so, there could have been more steps taken much earlier, which could have greatly affected the number of deaths and the hardships that were experienced. I think that they didn't interfere because they were just bystanders. In any situation, it does take something for someone to take action instead of just standing by. The government could have been selfish in that they were trying to stay out of it because they wanted to focus on their own country and their own problems. They also could have feared that by interfering, they would be starting something with other countries, which could hurt them in the long run.
I agree with Julie. I thought it was interesting that she said that there was no excuse for the government not to get involved. It is true that even if they didn't know fully what was going on, they could have put the effort in to find out or they could have taken action in order to make sure that things weren't getting out of hand. Also, I agree with the fact that it was strange and almost scary that people still view Hitler has "beautiful" and as a "good" man. Many people dislike him, but the fact that people still look up to him shows how powerful and controlling he was. He was able to make people think what he wanted them to think.
I am very surprised that the US government didn't step in and help jewish refugees. Today, if something as tragic as the holocaust were to occur in a different country, the US Government would most likely step in in a heartbeat. I think that back when the holocaust happened, that the US government should have at least taken military action, seeing as though our military is one of the strongest out there. Overall, i think it would have been smart for the US to step in and take some sort of action.
I agree with Nicole that the Great Depression could have been a factor that lead to the US not stepping in and helping. I never thought of that but that could be a very possible reason. With the stock market collapsing at the same time as the Nazi party was gaining power, there really wasn't much the US could do to help the jews.
I do believe that the government should have stepped in earlier with Hitler and the Nazis but understand why they did not do that. Americans wanted everything to go back to normal after World War I and go back to the idea of isolationism, not being involved in foreign affairs. When the Great Depression hit the United States was focused on trying to help Americans and not let them go hungry and provide jobs for them. The U.S was having its own problems and struggle to overcome as Hitler was making his way into power.
I agree with Julianne and find it fascinating how Hitler was able to turn so many people against Jews and it seemed that he was basically brain washing them. He was such a powerful speaker that he just got his message straight through to people everywhere even if one never heard him in person.
America is supposed to be a hopeful country, and a land of the free. America should have opened its doors to the Jews who wanted to escape Hitler and the Nazi party's territory. I think this should have been done early on- as soon as America was made aware of the situation in Germany and how many humans were suffering because of it.
I am in agreement with Jess when she says that this was an ignorant move by America. It actually angers me that they did not do a thing at this time, when the news of what was going on was in newspapers across the country. It is sad to think that this is what our country did, and I hope it has nothing to do with being prejudiced towards Jews.
The failure of the United States to help Jewish refugees was tragic, but hardly unexpected. There has always been a powerful undercurrent of anti-immigrant sentiment through US politics - recall the Know-Nothings. This sentiment was magnified and brought to the open by the harsh economic climate. In addition, blocking Jewish immigrants corresponded to prevailing political norms, as Jews were seen as being Judeo-Bolsheviks by many American reactionaries and fascists. One aspect to note is that this failure to help displaced peoples has not at any point ceased. The US has refused to accept more than a tiny, token handful of refugees from the humanitarian crises which it created in Iraq and Afghanistan. I fundamentally disagree with the premise that the decision to block Jewish immigrants was ignorant - a term which implies lack of knowledge. While repulsive, it was most certainly deliberate.
The U.S. should have stepped in alot sooner. I feel that if they stepped in when they first saw the signs of a downward spiral, Hitler's power and control would have become limited.
I agree with samantha. The number of casualties would have been alot less if other nations didnt stand there and watch.
I agree with Margo, America was going through problems of their own and needed to get their feet back on the ground before jumping into something as big as the Holocaust and as powerful as the Nazis. Although that is not an excuse, America should have done something to save the many people killed. They closed off all bridges and did not even offer support for the people in need. By stepping in with military force, or even letting Jewish people into the country, things would have been different. Even though America probably did not know the extent of what was going on at the beginning of the Holocaust, they still should have realized the motives of Hitler and the harm he was going to cause during his time of rule and stopped it before it got out of hand.
I think that what Jews were going through at this time was not only horrible, and immoral, but simply, nonnegotiable when it came down to the U.S. deciding on whether or not to help rescue the lives of innocent people who were suffering endlessly, day, by day. I believe the U.S. government should have opened its doors to the Jewish people; right after the death camps had become liberated in 1938. Though, there were many factors contributing to why the U.S. did not help, like that of the Great Depression’s. By going through the Great Depression, America thought, allowing the Jews to come here would only risk the probability of unemployment rate to rise at a much higher rate than where it currently stood, subjecting them to a life of poverty. If America had faced these kinds of fears and were still too selfish to not allow the Jews to come here, given their situation being a hell of a lot worse, I think they very well could’ve still done something to help. There isn’t any excuse I feel appropriate to make or even accept given the situation, of why you wouldn’t help these people who feared that their own existence in this world would one day no longer be. It was all just a matter of time. What the Jews faced was much more cruelty, much more fear than what people of America could even handle, given the factors of the Great Depression. America acted like a bystander. We knew the circumstances that the Jews dealt with, given the newspapers that were read, and the liberation of the death camps. But even so, we still never made an attempt to help, because we were in fear of our own lives being bent and broken. Translation: We were cowards.
I ultimately agree in the opinion that Jess and Kristen share on the decision of not helping the Jews to be a very poor act of justice, and an ignorant move pulled by America.
By not doing anything to help as an act of contribution, we looked like giant assholes, to say the least.
Anonymous = Kissila Cruz. (sorry, didn't mean to write as anonymous, I guess it was on that option already).
I don't understand why the US wouldn't step up and allow the Jews to come, like Nicole said. It may have been hard to accept all of the Jews from Germany because of the state that the country was in, but since a war was about to start, the US should have allowed them to come and be a part of the country. It would have saved millions of lives.
I could understand why the United States didn't want to get involved back then when all of the unfair treatment to the Jewish people. However, I do not agree with America's decision to not make any move earlier before the holocaust even started. I believe the entire outcome would be totally different in history if the United States troops had came earlier but you can't stop that from happening now. Overall, after reviewing the information I was disappointed hear that the United States did not get involved because that is what they do best today. Getting involved in other people's business.
I have to disagree with Erin in the situation. I could understand the United States' position because during the time the United States was not aware of the war occurring until after it started. Only then could the United States help out the Jewish people but, it was already too late.
I sorta agree with Amanda in that America should be trying to help the Jews get out from Germany and the camps and eventually they do help the Jews out of these camps. I think they should have helped out sooner despite the feeling of Isolation Americans had at the time.
I was absent today.
I think that the primary factor in preventing the US government from helping Jewish refugees enter the country was the economy. With the recent stock market crash, the United States could not afford to take in large numbers of refugees without sending the already-downtrodden economy into turmoil. So, in order to save themselves from this, the US government erected that paper wall and turned a blind eye to what was happening overseas. I think that the government should have been involved in the conflict from the start, when the rise of the Nazi party was beginning. Although I am unable to accurately predict what may have happened if the US had intervened sooner, I feel that the holocaust might have at least decreased in impact if the United States had been there to aid the Jews.
I think that the U.S. should have become involved in helping the Jews as soon as they knew they were being killed. I think that as a country we know that the mass extermination of an entire people is morally wrong and that should have prompted us to do something.
I agree with what Zoe said, it does make sense that they would not want a mass amount of refugees coming into the country when it was already in poor condition.
From my time living in America I have found that this country will only involve itself in something if it gives them a clear benefit. From the point of view of Americans living in that time the only thing helping Jews would have done is bring more foreigners into the country which, from the view of most people back then, was a clear downside. This is why people read about Kristellnacht and then forgot about it the next day.
Also if America had interfered earlier and stopped Hitler before he comitted anymore atrocities World War II might have never happened. Instead America ignored the telltale signs and let Hitler rise to power unperturbed.
I think that eventhough we were going through hard times we still should have helped the Jews. When we had a good amount of power to be able to help how could we not step in? I think along with helping them it would help us create allys for the future. I wonder what the reaction of America was at the time and if anyone thought to reach out.
I aslo agree with zoe. Eventhough it would be the right thing to do to help as many jews as we could, it might not be in our nations best interest to be bringing all of these new unestablished people into the country during the depression.
I was absent on this day!
I think the government should have let the Jewish people into right off the bat it is awful that these people were suffering and we were preventing them from coming into the country and therefore allowing them to die.
Going off of what Zoe said, the economic situation of our nation definitely was a factor however it is not an excuse for knowingly letting the Jewish people suffer and denying them into the country.
When I watched this document, I thought that the government to step in and help the Jewish people out because they were not allowed to go into the U.S.
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