Reference no: EM133803805

Discussion Post: History- America's Response to the Holocaust

Module showcases American participation in World War II. Before and during the conflict, Americans received information regarding the genocide perpetuated against European Jews. The US government knew of the deplorable treatment and persecution of European Jews at the hands of the Nazis long before the Holocaust began. Contemporaries and historians have since argued that the American government had a moral obligation to act in a more assertive fashion to end the genocide, as well as play a more active role in facilitating the settlement of European Jewish refugees.

For this discussion, students should reflect on and respond to the following topic:

Assess the US government's reaction to the Holocaust. Do you think the response was appropriate (why)?

Students will need to take an assertive position in their discussion. This is an argumentative discussion. The argument will be supported by analysis of the documents provided below. Your assessment of US policy toward the Holocaust will constitute the thesis, and might be framed around answering the following questions:

1) How was information about the Holocaust treated by the US government and why?
2) When do you think the US should have become involved in helping the Jews?
3) Were historians and contemporaries correct in their criticisms that the US was slow to react to news of the genocide?
4) What were some of the factors that shaped the US response?
5) Were there domestic forces that contributed to America's delayed response?
6) What did ordinary Americans think and know about the Holocaust?
7) How did the US treat Jewish refugees flee Nazi Europe?
8) Why do you think the government finally decided to set up the War Refugee Board?