Did the Usa Do Enough to Stop Prevent the Holocaust

Term Paper Final

Persecuted for religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, gender and skin color. Millions of people perished and were set to be exterminated. Being killed from shots to the head, gas chambers, starvation, diseases, and torture. The Holocaust may be the world's most famous, and barbaric genocide in history. It is determined between 6 to 11 million innocent people were murdered by the Nazis. Adolf Hitler was able to rise to power during a world wide economic depression. His goal was to make Germany the number one world power, and to kill off his enemies, and anyone he deemed as unfit. The Jewish population in Europe suffered the most of his wrath. First he made them wear the star of david on their clothing, so they could be identified if needed. The Jews were singled out, and were viewed as unhuman like. Being friends with a jew brought shame upon yourself, because in Germany’s eyes they were the ones who made Germany suffer. Then many, were forced out of their homes and were set to live in Jewish ghettos. They were highly unsanitary, struck with diseases, cold, and very poor. The jews were guarded by the Nazis, to make sure no one could escape. Finally, the decision was made that all Jewish people were set to be exterminated. They were hauled out like animals, and shot if one soldier felt like it. It was a mass murder, and it was known world wide what was happening in Germany, and soon to be many more European countries. News traveled, and yet silence roared across the oceans. At the time the number one world power was the United States of America. If there was anyone who could possibly stop the Nazis from further destruction and murder, The United States would be the answer. Screams cried out for help, but the United States only shut their doors. Did their lives not matter enough, or was the United States fighting another war and had no time for anyone else. The United States did help towards the end, in winning the war that brought the U.S. back on top.

In the beginning of the war the U.S. claimed that they were in an economic struggle, and were drowning in debt and unemployment. The United States justification for not entering the war sooner was that they were dealing with a war within their own walls. But despite their lack of resources, and determination, the U.S. could have done more. Whether it was based upon them simply not knowing what was truly happening in Germany, or they just did not care who died and who lived. But the question still remains, did the U.S. act appropriately in stopping the Holocaust, or did their racist and xenophobic attitudes block them from fully addressing the Holocaust earlier than possible?

Unemployment soar past the clouds in the sky, and financial stability buried itself 100 feet below the earth's soil. The Great Depression had struck the United States, in a world wide time of need. After hearing of the tragedies of what was currently taking place in Germany, the United States had their hands tied. How were they going to be able to rescue those innocent people from being perished across the world, and yet save their own people from devastation. If the U.S. allowed more refugees than before into the golden gates, during a time of great unemployment, their own citizens would have no place to turn. Money and jobs were already extremely tight, brothers and neighbors were all fighting for the same job. The United States was drowning in their own debt, and war could not have come at a more worse time than now. The U.S. heard the cries for help across the land and seas. But how could they help somebody across the world, when there were people right outside their door begging for the same help. It was a bold choice the United States took, it was a choice to be made whether you help yourself, or let yourself die and save somebody you have never met. The U.S. chose to help themselves, they chose to improve their unemployment ratings, they chose to make themselves financially stable again, and they chose to ignore the already millions of people dying pleas for help.

Even though the U.S. chose to help themselves before they helped anybody else, and were financially unstable. They still issued more visas, and were making plans to help the Holocaust survivors. The U.S. was still issuing visas, so escaping refugees could seek shelter, and safety from the Naziz regime. In 1932, the United States issued more than 35,000 immigration visas. Despite the United States not even being able to support their own citizens, they still would allow immigrants into the United States. For the United States to only issue a few thousand visas might not seem like a lot, but truly the littlest amount of help was able to save the lives of innocent people who could have died at the hands of a Nazi soldier. Throughout the spring of 1933, during President Roosevelt's first weeks in office. His administration had been discussing the fate of the German Jews. They discussed ways on how to get the U.S.’s employment up higher so more immigrants could be allowed into the country. Roosevelt ‘s administration had agreed upon to ease visa regulations. In 1944, 70% of Americans wanted to start setting up camps to save the Jewish refugees. Prior to this, American citizens were not shown the truth about how the Jews were being treated, and once they saw and heard the truth they wanted to help support them.

After hearing of the great devestation in Naziz Germnay, and by only issueing a few thousand visas that might not even allow jewish refugees into the U.S. was simply not enough. Millions of innocent people were dieing, and the U.S.’s only response was to issue visas. Which was a big slap in the face to all of those being persecuted, who once believed that America “the land of the free”, would free them from their chains. The United States was the greatest world power, and they held the strongest allie force. If the U.S. had shown some anger towards Germany, in a way that would possibly suggest that if you don't stop now, then we’re coming for you. Then other world powers could have followed, and their threats to Hitler and his army could have backed them off. It may have been justified for the U.S. to refuse to help prior to the war. But once the war had started, and Hitler’s intentions became known, it was no longer justified for the U.S. to refuse to help.

Prior to the United States entering the war, a sense of nativism was growing throughout the U.S. , which soon led to an even bigger growing problem of anti-semitic. The United States believed that since it's their country, they have the right to choose who they allow into it, and essentially kick out as well. The U.S. had the final decision on what kind of people they want