World War II (DOCUMENTS) + (Supreme Court Cases)

Executive Order 9066 (1942)

In his role as Commander-in-Chief during World War II, a U.S. president issued an order authorizing the forced relocation and internment of individuals of a particular ethnic background on the West Coast. The measure was justified as necessary for national security—to guard against espionage and sabotage following an attack—and led to the displacement of thousands, many of whom were citizens, who subsequently lost their homes, jobs, and property. Though later challenged, the order was upheld by the Supreme Court as a wartime expedient; decades afterward, the nation formally apologized and compensated survivors.

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill of Rights, 1944

In response to the potential economic collapse faced by millions of returning military personnel after a major war, Congress passed legislation designed to help reintegrate veterans into civilian life. This comprehensive law provided for unemployment compensation, low‑interest home and business loans, grants for education and job training, and funding for the construction of new veterans’ facilities. It transformed American society by enabling widespread homeownership, boosting higher education opportunities, and ultimately helping to create the modern middle class.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

During World War II, following heightened fears after an attack on Pearl Harbor, the government ordered the relocation of individuals of Japanese descent living on the West Coast as a security measure. An American citizen of Japanese ancestry refused to comply with this forced relocation and was subsequently arrested. The U.S. Supreme Court, by a 6‑3 vote, upheld the government's action as a constitutional exercise of power during an emergency, reasoning that rapid measures were necessary to prevent espionage and sabotage—although dissenting voices decried the decision as a legalization of racial discrimination incompatible with the nation's foundational principles.

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