Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

When attempting to reach any conclusion regarding Franklin Delano Roosevelt's human rights legacy, one must consider those actions most directly connected to the personal sentiment of the president, and upon which the president had the most bearing. Although many such occurrences exist, the constraints of time prohibit the present essay from examining more than three selected by the author as the most profound or revealing. In the following pages, one will discover first the historical actions taken by President Roosevelt regarding Jewish immigration, Japanese internment, and the targeting of civilians in World War II. The discussion of each of these historical manifestations will be followed by an analysis of the historical literature on the topic. Finally, this essay will make a series of suggestions for future research. These suggestions will highlight those elements neglected by existing works and point to additional avenues of scholarly investigation. Perhaps no human rights issue concerning the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt has received as much scholarly attention as the plight of European Jews. Historians, journalists, and a plethora of amateur scholars have jostled over President Roosevelt's response to the persecution of European Jews prior to and during World War II. Many have found fault with the president, blaming him directly for America's failure in receiving Jewish ... log in or subscribe to read full text