DuncanD.


 * What is your //general// belief about whom or what is most responsible for causing the conflict?**

The Japanese did bomb Pearl Harbor; however, the Japanese-American Citizens did not! The American government was responsible for the conflict and although it is a very good thing that our country did something about the attack, they took the wrong approach. Rather then thinking about what to do and deciding on a good idea, they let fear take hold of them and made a bad choice. Of course action was necessary, we were bombed! But they used the wrong action which is why the American Government is held accountable.

**What is the relevant background information (i.e. who, what, when, where)?**

On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, the United States' naval base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese navy. The attack consisted of two attacks with 353 aircrafts.(PBS) This attack ended all peace with Japan. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 ordering all ages of people one-eighth Japanese or more who lived in Oregon, California, Washington, and part of Arizona to live in internment camps.(Siasoco/Ross) The president himself was quoted calling these places "concentration camps" and they did not have the best living conditions. (PBS) These camps were put into place as a military necessity to protect from and prevent espionage and sabotage. The only problem is that 62% of these people were U.S. Citizens and over half were children or infants.(PBS and Siasoco/Ross)

**What were 3 factors that helped cause the conflict (politics, economics, geography, history)?**

There are many factors that caused this conflict. One factor was fear. The whole country was afraid, including the government. They had to make a choice quickly so they chose the most obvious one. Another factor is that many people did not like the Japanese, racism.(PBS) Farmers who competed with Japanese labor wanted them gone, politicians had Anti-Japanese pessimism hated the Japanese, and the general public was racist! They were just looking for excuses to get rid of the Japanese-Americans. The last factor was WWII and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. People were always a little afraid, and always a little racist, but once Pearl Harbor was bombed it got much, much worse. This factor fueled all the other factors and is the only reason that the general public accepted the government's choice.

**Explain why one factor is more important than the others.**

WWII and the bombing of Pearl Harbor was the big one. When the Japanese bombed us, it brought us into WWII and if they had not bombed us, the racism and fear would not have had nearly as much control over people. The government only decided that there may be spies in our country after this bombing(PBS) and if you think about it, this factor is connected to the others. This factor is the only reason the others exist!

**How could the conflict have been avoided?**

This conflict could have been avoided many different ways. The simplest way is obviously that the government could have just ignored the bombings or chosen a different approach. The only problem is that many people believe in a certain conspiracy that could change everything completely. Supposedly President Roosevelt intercepted a code from Japan and had it deciphered. It showed that the Japanese were planning to bomb Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt unfortunately underestimated how large the attack would be, and decided to ignore it. This was because if the attack wasn't very large then it would be worth it to let it happen, as it would let the U.S.A into WWII. The attack was much bigger then expected. If this story proves true then couldn't the president just have prepared for the bombing? As I said before, without the bombing none of the other factors could have contributed. If President Roosevelt had done something, Japanese Internment would never have happened! (Fisher)


 * What sources of information have you used? **

Bibliography Fisher, Mark and Kristi. “Bombing of Pearl Harbor.” __Seize the Night__. April 2003. Carpe Noctem. Accessed May 20, 2009. www.carpenoctem.tv/cons/pearl.html “Internment History.” __Children of the Camps__. 1999. PBS. May 21, 2009.  Lambert, Dale and Clark, Dustin. __Washington____: A State of Contrasts, Second Edition.__ East Wenatchee, WA: Directed Media, Inc, 2008. Siasoco and Ross, Ricco and Smhuel. “Japanese Relocation Centers.” __Infoplease__. 2007. Accessed May 20, 2009. 