Just because E.O. 9066 is a government document doesn't mean it's exempt from thematic content. It may not be overflowing with themes like an Edgar Allan Poe story, but themes are definitely there.
And they are choice.
The issue of power takes over in this text. The whole thing is about power. Who has it, who gets it, and who gets got by it.
It begins with the president acknowledging his own power. Then he uses that power to give special power to the secretary of war and subordinate military commanders. In turn, they exert that power to essentially alter the map of the United States. The creation of military areas and the subsequent removal of Japanese Americans was a show of their unique wartime authority.
And "the people"? Some would argue they were powerless.
Questions About Power
- Do you think the president was influenced by the power of suggestion when he signed E.O. 9066?
- Considering what happened with the WRA relocation camps, do you think power was abused by the authorities who acted under the permissions of E.O. 9066?
- Does FDR adequately justify his use and distribution of power here? Why or why not, and to what extent?
- Are there any other examples in American history in which power was used to enact controversial policies during times of crisis? Try to think of at least two.
Chew on This
Franklin D. Roosevelt might have followed official rules when enacting Executive Order 9066, but he fails to justify his reasons for it beyond superficial protocol.
Regardless of the wartime crisis, Franklin D. Roosevelt handed too much unchecked power to the secretary of war and his military officials.