Reaction to the Holocaust in the Americas

Nuremberg Laws

Antisemitic and racial laws in Nazi Germany against jewish people in 1935.

Evian Conference

Called for by FDR in 1938, delegates from 32 countries and 24 organizations met to discuss the refugee program. Countries such a the US and UK refused to change their immigration policies. Jews were leaving Germany impoverished. Dominican Republic agrees to allow Jews in

FDR appointed...

FDR appointed many Jews to high ranking positions, he called the Evian conference, and set up the WRB, and he allowed extra refugees into the US in 1944 outside the quota system.

Media Coverage

Germany's final solution did not begin until 1942. Even when the media found out about it, the Holocaust was often underreported or stuck in a back page. Executive Order 9417- Created the War Refugee Board to help the refugees of countries in the Allied and Axis powers that were being persecuted by the Nazis

Displaced Persons Act (1948)

Granted 400k visas to immigrants above quota system.

Historiography

Historians such as David Wyman argue FDR made excuses to not save Jews and didn't act even after he had evidence until there was political pressure to do so.

Hitler would have...

Hitler would have killed more jews given the opportunity.

Immigration policies

Jews from Eastern Europe sought to escape from religious persecutions and programs in Russia. By 1900, many in the US opposed mass immigration

MS St. Louis

Left Germany for Cuba in 1939 with 937 Jewish refugees aboard, the refugees were not allowed to disembark in Cuba, US, or Canada. Eventually the ship returned to Europe and all its passengers were allowed to stay in several European countries. Nearly 25% of those passengers eventually sent to concentration camps when Nazis invaded.

Kristallnacht

Night of broken glass, nov. 9 1938 when nazis killed/injured many jews and destroyed many jewish property

Child-Refugee Bill (Waner-Rogers Bill)

Proposed admitting 20k Jewish children above quota, children would be adopted and costs would be paid for privately (by Jewish Organization.) Because of so much public opposition, FDR eventually refused to support it.

War Refugee Board

Received about 1.6 million from government and 1.6 million from private Jewish organizations. Helped set up escape routes, prepare fake documents, and cash for bribes. About 250k jews were saved as a result of the WRB. After war, Truman made efforts to ease immigration restrictions. In 1945, an executive order allowed 16k Jewish refugees enter the US.

1930's immigration

immigration quotas were in place. Despite opposing the Nuremberg Laws, Americans were against increasing quotas. After annexation of Austria, many Jews left Europe, mainly heading for the Americas, Palestine, and China.

Reich citizenship laws

jewish people of Nazi Germany would no longer be citizens of Germany.

Defense of FDR

other historians have defended FDR. Doris Kearns Goodwin argued that the best way to save the Jews was to win the war.

US Government policies

some say the US government policies were racist and anti-semitic. FDR stuck to quota system, didn't intervene with the St. Louis, followed public opinion, didn't attempt to bomb camps and was generally slow to act.