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Washington - President FDR Could Have Saved 190,000 Jews Fleeing The Nazis |
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President Franklin Roosevelt
That's true, as far as it goes. But immigration quotas were only part of the story. Many more Jews could have been saved if President Franklin D. Roosevelt -- without changing a single law -- had simply permitted the existing quotas to be filled.
The quota for immigrants from Germany and Austria would have allowed 27,370 refugees to enter the country each year. But the Roosevelt administration encouraged U.S. consular officials abroad to create bureaucratic obstacles to reduce refugee immigration to levels far below what the law allowed. Thus, during Hitler's first year in power, 1933, less than 6 percent of the German quota was filled. The following year, less than 14 percent of those spaces were filled. During Hitler's entire reign, 1933-45, less than 36 percent of the German-Austrian quota places were used.
During the years that the Nazis were slaughtering 6 million European Jews (1941 to 1945), nearly 190,000 quota places from Axis-controlled countries sat unused. That is 190,000 lives that could have been saved, had FDR shown even a minimal amount of humanitarian interest in their plight.
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Read Comments (24) — Post Yours »
1
Oct 04, 2008 at 08:18 PM Anonymous Says:
yemach shemoy
2
Oct 04, 2008 at 08:18 PM Anonymous Says:
yemach shemoy
3
Oct 04, 2008 at 08:24 PM myer Says:
it is ironic that the Jews vote Democratic to this day because of this rasha who let Jews die...the American Jews loved him because he was supposedly for the little guy.
4
Oct 04, 2008 at 08:20 PM Fred Genious Says:
And we should be shocked? Start trusting in g-d and not human beings. g-d delivers more than dumb anti semitic presidents.
And if anyone thinks McCain would be any better it's just the lesser of two evils.
It's all in g-d hands.
5
Oct 04, 2008 at 08:53 PM teire yid Says:
he is a rasha merusha as are most goyishe democratic politicians.
obama is from the same cloth just a shvartza-should be cleaning my car not driving my country
6
Oct 04, 2008 at 09:03 PM Charlie Hall Says:
In fact, about half the Jews in Germany *did* get out. But almost none from Eastern Europe, in large part because of those racist quotas, which were enacted in 1924 by a Republican congress and signed by a Republican president. Roosevelt had no authority to override those quotas.
7
Oct 04, 2008 at 09:11 PM mommy Says:
Its all up to Hashem, not the government.
8
Oct 04, 2008 at 09:23 PM AuthenticSatmar Says:
To Charlei Hall:
As a typical Democrat you did not address the claim of the article and chose to blame the Republicans. While it was the Republicans that created the quotas the Democrat President saw that it wasn't filled with Jews fleeing German opression. The Democratic elected leaders have long been publicly anti-jewish. Not to say those are the party principles, but they attract haters.
9
Oct 04, 2008 at 10:34 PM Robroy560 Says:
I love how everyone thinks FDR was so great. We all know about the quotas, not ordering the bombing the tracks to the camps, the liberal economic policies that extended the depression, rounding up Japanese Americans into camps, etc. This is the hero of the Democrats and the liberal Jews, who will blindly support any Democrat.
Interestingly, I went to day school, yeshiva high school for 2 years and public high school for my last 2 years. The social studies/history teachers all taught the same dribble about how great FDR was. How much better he was than Churchill, and they whitewashed his questionable and bad dealings towards Jews. Ironically, the only ones not obsessed with FDR were two teachers I had in public high school . One of them was an irreligious but politically conservative Jew, and he was an open Winston Churchill fan.
While not perfect, Churchill was much better for the Jews. He didn't trust Stalin like FDR did. He forsaw the dangers for European Jewry in 1933. I haven't read this book yet, but there's a new book by Martin Gilbert called: Churchill and the Jews: A Lifelong Friendship. Supposedly in his later years, Churchill called himself an old Zionist.
10
Oct 04, 2008 at 10:48 PM Yitzy Says:
I own a rare book called "Roosevelt and Churchill: Their Secret Wartime Correspondence" (E.P.Dutton, 1975). On P.308, his own naval aide Captain John McCrae prepared a memo of conversation FDR had with the French resident general at Rabat in late '43, when victory was coming and Morocco was anticipating a flow of Jewish refugees at the end of the war. Roosevelt made "remarks that were ill-chosen, considereing that the Nazi death factories at Auschwitz... were going full blast. He maintained that "the number of Jews engaged in the professions (law, medicine, etc.) should be definitely limited to the percentage of the Jewish population in N. Africa.... THIS PLAN WOULD FURTHER ELIMINATE THE SPECIFIC AND U N D E R S T A N D A B L E COMPLAINTS WHICH THE GERMANS BORE TOWARDS THE JEWS IN GERMANY, namely, that while they were a small part of the population, over fifty percent of the lawyers, doctors, college professors, etc., were Jews."
Now we know FDR's mind-set. Germans understandably murdered 6 million Jews because they had the gall to be too highly educated!!! No wonder he wouldn't lift a finger to help them.
yimach shmo v'zichro v'yisareif begeihinom l'olam va-ed.
11
Oct 04, 2008 at 11:20 PM Charlie Hall Says:
To AuthenticSatmar #8,
I was responding to #3 Myer, not the article. Roosevelt's inaction may have cost 190,000 Jews their lives, and that inaction is indefensible. But the racist quotas may have cost over five million Jews their lives. Had the 1840 US immigration policy been in effect in 1940, every single Jew who could have made it to America could have been admitted legally. Roosevelt had nothing to do with the quota law.
And since you brought it up, Democratic elected leaders are most definitely NOT anti-Jewish. In New York City we have a dozen Democratic congressmen who are strong supporters of Jewish causes -- and a lot of them have few Jews in their districts.
12
Oct 04, 2008 at 11:44 PM historian says Says:
The libral jews are libral first and jews in name only they supported Stalin till the very end they did nothing to savrethe jews from the Nazis during the Second world War they supported elements who destroyed jewish neighberhoods in the USA in the 1960's they do not care about jewish concerns they did nothing to help the jews who were victoms of terrist attacks in Israel they did nothing to help the refugees from Gush Katif they were invoved in helping inner city residents from new Orleans or muslim victims of the Tsunami they unfortonatly ammount to be 60 percent of the american jewish population today therefore jews who care about jewish concerns do not have to considor what these people think or do
13
Oct 04, 2008 at 11:29 PM bigwheeel Says:
“ In fact, about half the Jews in Germany *did* get out. But almost none from Eastern Europe, in large part because of those racist quotas, which were enacted in 1924 by a Republican congress and signed by a Republican president. Roosevelt had no authority to override those quotas.
”
You (who's on target most of the time) are missing the point. The outrage [at FDR] is that he didn't make a minimal effort [even] to fill the quotas from germany and other Eastern European countries!!!
14
Oct 04, 2008 at 11:56 PM barak Says:
“ Its all up to Hashem, not the government. ”
what does that mean its all up to Hashem? The man has a gun and fires and the bullet hits-dont go to jail because its all up to hashem. throw him a lead anchor instead of buoy and he drowns- he was the shiliach that chose to kill
15
Oct 05, 2008 at 12:46 AM Robroy560 Says:
“ The libral jews are libral first and jews in name only they supported Stalin till the very end they did nothing to savrethe jews from the Nazis during the Second world War they supported elements who destroyed jewish neighberhoods in the USA in the 1960's they do not care about jewish concerns they did nothing to help the jews who were victoms of terrist attacks in Israel they did nothing to help the refugees from Gush Katif they were invoved in helping inner city residents from new Orleans or muslim victims of the Tsunami they unfortonatly ammount to be 60 percent of the american jewish population today therefore jews who care about jewish concerns do not have to considor what these people think or do ”
This is a very good post... int he 1960's Liberal Jews ran to support the blacks in the South. Please note, I'm not against the Civil Rights Movement. But where were thay in Israel's time of need? I know in the late 1960's my father was willing to help Israel when the war broke out in 1967. He was willing to put all of his plans on hold, even if it interupted college. While no one knew it at the time, it wound up lasting 6 days.
I've worked with Jews who are embarassed that we have the State of Israel, and wouldn't send their kids there - even to volunteer on an irreligious kibbutz. But they are are proud when their kids head out to rebuild a village in Nicaragua.
16
Oct 05, 2008 at 12:56 AM Yoshua Says:
To Teire Yid: The last part of your comment was bang out of order. It makes you sound like a klan member or nazi, not a yid. That sentiment in not only small minded and uncalled for it does not reflect well on frum Jews. You have that right to your preference of presidential candidate but please keep the racist comments to yourself we do not need that. Wishing you and all klal yisrael a gut yar.
17
Oct 05, 2008 at 12:36 PM Schmuel Luniel Says:
Yes, we can blame FDR, but since WW2, how many frum organizations have themselves protested the killings of others in foreign countries? when have admorim, yeshivas, etc., protested about East timor, rwanda, darfur, etc.???
We can point the finger at FDR, but others have been killed, and we have not lifted a finger. so how can we point a finger at fdr?
18
Oct 05, 2008 at 01:55 PM Allan Says:
Just think many of our people cried when FDR died...if they only knew the truth!!
19
Oct 05, 2008 at 02:09 PM Allan Says:
“ Yes, we can blame FDR, but since WW2, how many frum organizations have themselves protested the killings of others in foreign countries? when have admorim, yeshivas, etc., protested about East timor, rwanda, darfur, etc.???
We can point the finger at FDR, but others have been killed, and we have not lifted a finger. so how can we point a finger at fdr? ”
FDR may be guilty but you have made a very valid point about the lack of Jewish involvement in other mass genocide around the world.
20
Oct 05, 2008 at 02:48 PM Lawrence M. Reisman Says:
LMReisman@Verizon.net
21
Oct 05, 2008 at 05:05 PM Lawrence M. Reisman Says:
With regard to pre-WWII immigration, the question is not just how many visas in the quota were taken but how many people couldn't get a visa after trying. The lack of immigration from Germany during this period could very well be a result of people not applying. With regard to Poland, Lithuania, and Romania, where the quotas were much lower (less than 4,000 persons per year total for all 3) it took 12 years just to get an interview at the US embassy in Warsaw. After WWII started, the number of visas used is irrelevant, since Jews were unable to leave Europe even if the US would let them in.
Please don't forget that Roosevelt was fighting a strong isolationist sentiment in the US, and he got us into WWII only by some pretty underhanded political games. He made a joke of US neutrality in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, and left Japan so strapped for raw materials they had to attack us. With Germany, he faked a European invasion plan and leaked it to the Chicago Tribune. when Hitler found out about it, he declared war on us first. Had he not done so, Congress would have kept us out of the European war. Roosevelt was one of the greatest liars and deceivers of all time, but that's what got the US into WWII.
22
Oct 05, 2008 at 09:44 PM bigwheeel Says:
“ With regard to pre-WWII immigration, the question is not just how many visas in the quota were taken but how many people couldn't get a visa after trying. The lack of immigration from Germany during this period could very well be a result of people not applying. With regard to Poland, Lithuania, and Romania, where the quotas were much lower (less than 4,000 persons per year total for all 3) it took 12 years just to get an interview at the US embassy in Warsaw. After WWII started, the number of visas used is irrelevant, since Jews were unable to leave Europe even if the US would let them in.
Please don't forget that Roosevelt was fighting a strong isolationist sentiment in the US, and he got us into WWII only by some pretty underhanded political games. He made a joke of US neutrality in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, and left Japan so strapped for raw materials they had to attack us. With Germany, he faked a European invasion plan and leaked it to the Chicago Tribune. when Hitler found out about it, he declared war on us first. Had he not done so, Congress would have kept us out of the European war. Roosevelt was one of the greatest liars and deceivers of all time, but that's what got the US into WWII. ”
Yes, it's true! Some people even go so far as saying that "Pearl Harbor" was all a setup by FDR. But even if not true, he used it to his advantage. The question, arises. If he was such a skilled [and shady] dealer, why was he so apathetic to the plight of the Jews?! Starting with the (refugee ship) St. Louis, on through the whole war. Refusing to bomb Auschwitz, or the rails leading to it!
23
Oct 06, 2008 at 11:47 AM Lawrence M. Reisman Says:
"If he was such a skilled [and shady] dealer, why was he so apathetic to the plight of the Jews?!" Isolationist sentiment everywhere.
"Starting with the (refugee ship) St. Louis, on through the whole war." When the St. Louis was rotting in the harbor, no one had any inkling that the holocaust was going to happen (exept Jabotinsky, and he was regarded as a madman.) And while we're on the St. Louis, we could ask why the American Jewish Committee refused to put up the bribe the Cubans demanded to allow the Jews into Cuba, or why the Jewish Agency refused to give St. Louis passengers (available) entry visas to Palestine.
"Refusing to bomb Auschwitz, or the rails leading to it!"
Stalin was opposed. Auschwitz and the rails leading to it were occupying a large proportion of available European freight capacity, which if not diverted to Auschwitz would have been used to carry supplies to the Eastern Front. German soldiers on the Eastern Front were chronically short of food, ammunition, etc., because the trains that would have supplied them were being used to take Jews to their deaths. Stalin wanted that to continue, and Roosevelt was worried that Stalin, if inclined, would make a separate peace with Hitler. He had more in common with Hitler than with his "allies," and Churchill was constantly intriguing to cut Stalin off any way he could.
24
Oct 06, 2008 at 01:49 PM bigwheeel Says:
“ "If he was such a skilled [and shady] dealer, why was he so apathetic to the plight of the Jews?!" Isolationist sentiment everywhere.
"Starting with the (refugee ship) St. Louis, on through the whole war." When the St. Louis was rotting in the harbor, no one had any inkling that the holocaust was going to happen (exept Jabotinsky, and he was regarded as a madman.) And while we're on the St. Louis, we could ask why the American Jewish Committee refused to put up the bribe the Cubans demanded to allow the Jews into Cuba, or why the Jewish Agency refused to give St. Louis passengers (available) entry visas to Palestine.
"Refusing to bomb Auschwitz, or the rails leading to it!"
Stalin was opposed. Auschwitz and the rails leading to it were occupying a large proportion of available European freight capacity, which if not diverted to Auschwitz would have been used to carry supplies to the Eastern Front. German soldiers on the Eastern Front were chronically short of food, ammunition, etc., because the trains that would have supplied them were being used to take Jews to their deaths. Stalin wanted that to continue, and Roosevelt was worried that Stalin, if inclined, would make a separate peace with Hitler. He had more in common with Hitler than with his "allies," and Churchill was constantly intriguing to cut Stalin off any way he could. ”
The motives behind some of the facts that you present are slightly different. a) the nazi commanders , like eichmann and himmler were more interested, Indeed, attahced more importance to the transport and extermination of the Jews than to supply their troops with food and ammo. on the Eastern Front. b) If the rails would be bombed, they couldn't be used for any purpose. Transporting Jews to Auschwitz or supplying the Eastern Front!!!
25
Oct 06, 2008 at 02:23 PM Lawrence M. Reisman Says:
“ The motives behind some of the facts that you present are slightly different. a) the nazi commanders , like eichmann and himmler were more interested, Indeed, attahced more importance to the transport and extermination of the Jews than to supply their troops with food and ammo. on the Eastern Front. b) If the rails would be bombed, they couldn't be used for any purpose. Transporting Jews to Auschwitz or supplying the Eastern Front!!! ”
Poland had more than one rail line. Auschwitz was in Galicia. If the rails leading to it had been bombed, it would have been easy to reroute trains through northern Poland and onto the Eastern Front. If the Auschwitz lines had been bombed, the Wehrmacht could have seized the opportunity to divert trains for war supply.