Compare the following executive orders of President Franklin D. Roosevelt directing the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and President Eisenhower's directing the desegregation of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Question

President Roosevelt's Executive Order No. 9066:

"Whereas the successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection against espionage and against sabotage to national‐defense material, national‐defense premises, and national‐defense utilities... therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders... to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion."

President Eisenhower's Executive Order No. 3204:

"...certain persons in the State of Arkansas, individually and in unlawful assemblages, combinations, and conspiracies, have willfully obstructed the enforcement of orders of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas with respect to matters relating to enrollment and attendance at public schools, particularly at Central High School, located in Little Rock School District, Little Rock, Arkansas... Whereas such obstruction of justice constitutes a denial of the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution of the United States and impedes the course of justice under those laws: Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States, under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the United States, do command all persons engaged in such obstruction of justice to cease and desist therefrom, and to disperse forthwith...."

Explain how both presidents were addressing concerns over societal changes.

A) In both cases, the presidents are using the powers as leader of the military to accomplish aims for public safety.
B) In both cases, the presidents are seeking to protect the rights of all citizens of the United States.
C) In both cases, the presidents are working closely with Congress to address a public safety issue that is a result of societal change.
D) In both cases, the presidents are confronting the dangers to public safety, either sabotage or conspiracies.

Answer 1

A) In both cases, the presidents are using the powers as leader of the military to accomplish aims for public safety.

This option accurately captures the essence of both executive orders. President Roosevelt's Executive Order No. 9066 authorized military commanders to create exclusion zones that led to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, justified as a measure for national defense amid wartime fears of espionage and sabotage. Similarly, President Eisenhower's Executive Order No. 3204 was a response to the resistance against desegregation in Little Rock, Arkansas, involving the National Guardsmen and federal forces to enforce the court's decisions for public safety and uphold the rule of law in a tense societal context.

B) In both cases, the presidents are seeking to protect the rights of all citizens of the United States.

While both executive orders had implications for the rights of citizens, Roosevelt's action resulted in the violation of the civil liberties of Japanese Americans, as it was based on racial prejudice rather than an equitable application of rights. In contrast, Eisenhower's order aimed to enforce civil rights by upholding court orders that mandated desegregation, thus directly working to protect the rights of African American students.

C) In both cases, the presidents are working closely with Congress to address a public safety issue that is a result of societal change.

This option is inaccurate as neither president was portrayed as working closely with Congress in these specific orders. Roosevelt's order was primarily a military decision during wartime, and Eisenhower acted through executive authority to address a judicial issue without necessitating congressional involvement.

D) In both cases, the presidents are confronting the dangers to public safety, either sabotage or conspiracies.

This point can be seen as partially true, as both orders were framed as responses to perceived threats to public safety. However, the nature of these threats was quite different, with Roosevelt responding to wartime fears and militaristic concerns, and Eisenhower addressing civil unrest and violation of judicial orders related to civil rights. Thus, while both orders cited public safety, the contexts and actual threats were fundamentally different.

Ultimately, option A most accurately demonstrates the use of military authority by both presidents to address the respective societal concerns of their times.