The Rights Taken Away from the East Germans during the Cold War

"…neither can they fully convey our Nation 's resolve to rectify injustice and to uphold the rights of individuals. We can never fully right the wrongs of the past. But we can take a clear stand for justice and recognize that serious injustices were done to Japanese Americans during World War II."

During WWII many civil liberties were affected and felt by the American people; some of these decisions include new policies on foreigners and civil defense groups in towns. A major facet of homefront life in WWII was the discrimination faced by Japanese/German/Italian Americans, especially the Japanese, After the attack on Pearl Harbor which drew the United States into the war, Americans developed a fear towards immigrants and foreigners; not unlike the fear felt during the 1920’s after WWI. Local, state, and federal governments began drafting new laws and policies against persons whose ancestry is that of any of the Axis powers (Italy-Germany-Japan). For instance, a new law stated that all residents (“enemy aliens”) of German, Japanese, or Italian descent were required to register with the government, submit to fingerprinting, and list all their organizational affiliations. In addition, many of these peoples were forced to submit to curfews and travel restrictions. Furthermore, during this time, Japanese persons could not join the military until 1943 due to racism and fears of the American people. In February of 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which designated certain areas as war zones, and allowed for the removal of anyone for any reason. This led to the internment of Japanese people. Japanese-Americans were forced to either store or sell nearly all their property and belongings, only permitted to take “necessities”,

Firstly, some people believed the government should intervene. For example, Ferdinand Laselle, who is a political activist, gave a speech in Berlin saying that the state should carry on the

In the international community, a country’s domestic policies may often interfere with that of the community’s wishes. Throughout the Cold War, there was often tension between a country’s autonomy and the wishes of a particular sphere of influence or international body. Despite the great assistance in the attainment of human rights and attempts at peace, often greater conflict occurred due to this interference in each country’s domestic policies rather than serving their original purpose. Although international influence and control promotes singular agreements and policies, countries should be allowed to remain completely autonomous within their domestic policies in order to maintain peace, encourage diverse policy, and allow for independence internationally.

During the time of the Nazis coming to power, some of German citizen soon questioned the Nazi empires authority. Then soon after the German citizens at the time question if they went against the Nazi Empire what would happen. “Most Germans worried primarily about their own survival and thus, as information began to leak out about the deportation of Jews and the other Nazi abuses, they kept any concerns they might had to themselves” (Hoffmann 1). Showing the oppression of the Nazi empire affecting their citizens and not only the Jews. This however started to oppress the people that did not agree with the Nazi ideology at the time. Than citizens were questioning why no one would go against the Nazi rule and try to rebel against their ideas and the

During this time East Germany was under the Soviet Union, which was communist; the Soviet Union during the cold war era had many European countries in their union. Germany was split with eastern Germany being communist and western Germany being a federal republic of Germany. Many families were split when the boundaries between the two states were drawn so people typically immigrated out of Eastern Germany into Western Germany. Eastern Germany tried to stop their people from leaving by imposing the “iron Curtain”. The Berlin wall was heavily guarded so America could not barge in and destroy the wall; America did make it known they were not pleased by the

Emerging victoriously from World War II, America became the leader of the free-market capitalist world, and proved to be a military, economic, and political powerhouse. However, as one major war came to a close, another battle was brewing between the democratic United States and the communist Soviet Union. As the Soviet Union expanded farther West into Europe, America as well as its NATO allies worked together in an effort to contain the USSR’s expanding communist party. The Cold War went far beyond a battle between different ideologies. Rather, it developed into a global conflict where espionage, treason, and massive propaganda campaigns were inflicted on all aspects of individuals’ lives internationally. The plausibility of communism seeping into the confinements of the United States caused nation-wide fear to erupt. American businesses feared the idea of a communistic revolution on the basis that it would disturb the very groundwork that holds capitalism together. As a result, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was formed to investigate communist and fascist organizations within America. Unfortunately, the controversial tactics used during the HUAC hearings contributed to the fear, blacklisting, and repression that existed from 1940 through the 1950s. In the midst of the Cold War, several American opinions materialized concerning the role of the HUAC, in which Americans either praised the committee for its patriotic ideals, applauded but recognized the

The constitutional rights violated during the war (concentration camp)". The concentration war was the World War II internment during the 'War relocation Camps' and involved around 110,000 Japanese Americans who were from the US pacific coast. The U.S government ordered this internment during the year 1924 when Japan attacked the Pearl Harbor. There was violation in the freedom of religion, speech, press and the right to assemble. There was also violation of the right of Restrictions on Powers of Congress. This was due to violation in the freedom of Japanese Americans religion, with respect to the practices in the Eastern beliefs of their religion. Those who belonged to Shinto religion could not exercise their freedom of worship in the camp, whereas the administrators of the camp encouraged Christianity. They also restricted Buddhism through use of bans placed the Buddhist clergy in the Department of Justice internment Camp.

By February, Communist demonstrations were forbidden, as were Communist newspapers and offices, which were destroyed. Police restrictions and military forces marched in line with the Nazi party, leading to a reduction in anti-Nazi operations. These final counterdemonstrations were the last manifestations of public anti-Nazism in Germany.

In 1933, the newly elected Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler opened the first of numerous concentration camps, the Nazi Party boycotted Jewish shops and businesses, burned books that have been deemed “disreputable”, and also, Germany quits the League of

The Cold War was a direct result of the feud between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. Due to this feud both countries made alliances, Canada went with the United States as well as many other countries and together formed NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Following the influence and model of the United States’ social structure and capitalist economy, as well as the constant threat of nuclear warfare and communism, a new social structure was created within Canada. The Cold War created new identities and lifestyles for all Canadian citizens. This was done to eliminate communism, increase patriotism and as a way for Canadian citizens to work together to combat nuclear threats. Communism was a constant threat in Canada and was to be eliminated if not at least controlled at all costs. This meant that everyone had to act according to the new social structure, or risk suspicion of being a Soviet spy. This new social structure resembled harsh sexist stereotypes where the men are the breadwinners and the women are the homemakers. This type of relationship was called the nuclear family. This paper is going to look at the social roles that the Cold War created because of the threat of communism, nuclear warfare, governmental influence and social influence within Canada for men, women and children.

"As I talked to my German roommate who lived in West Germany, he told me about all of the hardships that the people in East Germany went through. He visited East Germany and he told me about all of the hassle he had to go through just to see friends and family. He said he believes it is as bad as being in prison. He also told me that no one could trust anybody. He said best friends would be torn apart because they didn't know if the other could have been a spy. He told me that he heard that 1 out of every 6.5 citizens of Berlin were spies, and if someone was caught talking about the government they would be severely punished."

This removal of the ability to criticize and question the Nazi regime led to one of the first acts when the Hitler was given power by Hindenburg in 1933, and that was to begin a campaign of terror against all opponents from the extreme left, namely the communist party. Which was the only party in Germany after the 1930 elections that really held any sort of power as the centre left had collapsed[10] what this lead to was the quick consolidation of power as Hitler and the Nazi party controlled the apparatuses of government that allowed them to unleash a reign of terror against their opponents, chief among them the communists. What this culminated in was the attempted burning down of the Reichstag by a communist sympathiser and the subsequent arrest of 4,000 Communists as Hitler declared to Goebbels, Goring and Rudolf Diels that: ‘There will be no more mercy now; anyone who stands in our way will be butchered’ not only that but that

In 1961 there was a wall build with barbed wire to separate the east and the west in Berlin. This resulted in a riot from the citizens who proceeded to attack offices, military officials, and threw rocks at military vehicles like tanks and cargo trucks. The people of Berlin were outraged, people were forced away from their friends and family and were not allowed to cross the border of the wall because Khrushchev wanted to gain control of the entirety of Germany.

In 1923 German workers went on strike against the government. Germany's money value decreased to about nothing. Hitler proclaimed a Nazi revolution or a "putch." While Hitler and 2,000 troops were protesting, the police shot into the crowd, killing 16 troops.