UNITED STATES ARMY

This vague criterion was in effect and was initially used to clear scientists at Los Alamos and their spouses who were part of the team that was to develop the Atomic Bomb. The Army security people however had never been in such a situation before. Few distinguished scientists wanted to come to Los Alamos to begin with as once there, they were there for the duration of the war and were cut off from friends and relatives. But there were very few people in the entire country who had the unique education and training. When the security people rejected a candidate before that time, another person was recruited. But for many of the scientists at Los Alamos, they were one of a kind. There were not two Enrico Femi’s or Luis Alverez’s. “Moral fiber” could mean anything and the American academic world has always tolerated a wider variety of behavior then most of the rest of society. Sexual activity, left wing views, parental irresponsibility, failure to pay debts, attacking religion or religious organizations all created problems. But the biggest problem was association with others of “demonstrated weakness in moral fiber” including communists and left wingers. In most university settings, with a norm or tolerance, almost all associated with “undesirables”. As a result many scientists or family members could not get cleared. But the project could not function without them, and if some were fired for that reason, many others might have quit. Finally, General Groves, relaxed the standards, yet the army security officers were constantly suspicious. This criterion was in use as late as the 1960s where a brilliant scientist working in the Executive Office of the President was threatened with dismissal for this reason. She had borne an illegitimate child years earlier.

This quotation has been used by many criticizing the policy of massive bombing of Japanese Cities towards the end of the war. At first it appears that there was a racist disregard for Japanese Civilian lives. However there was legal logic. The Japanese had already bombed cities throughout Asia and did not adhere to the rules of war. The Japanese government “invited” all Japanese to join the military to defend the homeland to the death in the coming invasion. All adult civilians were mobilized. There were no adult civilians left in Japan. Perhaps more important was the industrial organization of Japan which exists in large part to this day. There were tens of thousands of small & tiny factories distributed throughout all the Japanese cities. These were distributed in civilian areas & in many cases were actually in homes to take advantage of available labor and not have to transport people. There was no way to bomb the munitions factories without bombing civilian neighborhoods.

Despite the fact that there is no scientific data that even suggests that sex weakens men, the Armed Services promulgated this and other absurd and false information in order to try and minimize the amount of sex in which GIs would participate. The same myth was carried over into sports and athletics where many people still believe it.

This manual was still in force during the Iraq war 50 years later.

In 1924 Congress voted a bonus to all veterans but refused to pay it until 1945. With the privation of the Depression, 15,000 poverty stricken veterans marched on Washington, and set up camps. The fact that there were Negroes in the Camps was evidence that the demonstration was Communist inspired as at the time the Communists were one of the very few groups favoring integration. The Army bias was so strong that the presence of Jews was evidence of radicals. The Army, under General Douglas MacArthur with George Patton leading the Calvary, attacked the protesters camp and burned them out injuring many. President Hoover got the blame but MacArther did not obey Hoover’s instructions not to cross the bridge to the camp. He was in character as was his aide Major Dwight D. Eisenhower who tried to dissuade MacArthur from attacking to no avail.

Ellis Island was the facility that all East Coast immigrants to America came through. Army recruiting took place right there. Irish Immigrants in particular were targeted by the army. For many Irishmen, it was a very attractive prospect. They received a clean uniform, food, and an immediate pay check and provided a security not offered in the civilian economy. However, they were immediately shipped off to Mexico for the war effort.

To modern Americans, this quotation is shocking. The thought that the United States Army could publish such a statement is hardly believable. Many first reactions assume that there was some mid level fascist officer in a training department which issued it. However this was not the case. It was issued in the name of the Secretary of War under the signature of Generals C.P. Summerall and Lutz Wahl, Chief of Staff and Adjutant General respectively. This document and others like it together with the views of pro fascist Americans like Henry Ford convinced Hitler and other European fascist leaders that America would not interfere with their designs on Europe.

On March 9-10, 1945, over three hundred B-29 Superfortresses loaded with 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs flew over Tokyo bombing the city in waves for 6 hours. Over 250,000 buildings were destroyed and more people killed than would be in either Hiroshima or Nagasaki which were destroyed by atomic bombs. The fact that the Japanese would not surrender even after such complete destruction of their capital and largest industrial city, was used by American leaders in assessing whether to use the atomic bomb afterwards. There were many who believed that the atomic bomb would not be enough for motivate a Japanese surrender as Japanese culture prohibited surrender. Indeed, even after the 1st atomic bomb, the Japanese did not surrender, and after the 2nd, the war council was split 3-3 and the Emperor historically broke the tie. Even the atomic bomb might not have worked. Later generations found this resistance to surrender hard to understand but Japanese culture was amazingly strong then.

Some say that President Roosevelt had instructed the war department to issue warnings to the military forces in the Philippines and the Pacific. Military intelligence argued against the Japanese attack on the Philippines—and did not think any attack anywhere very likely. When the president insisted, warnings went out and this is what was sent to General Short. The warning was ambiguous and Short did very little and was caught unprepared shortly thereafter. How much reliance should be placed on intelligence estimates has been a question that has been argued before World War II and after.

At the time the United States was a signatory to a number of treaties and conventions banning the use of chemical and biological weapons. There were some who claimed that the filing of this patent was thus illegal. Others claimed that the treaties only covered the chemical and biological weapons themselves and not the devices that would propel them.

In 1924 Congress voted a bonus to all veterans but refused to pay it until 1945. With the privation of the Depression, 15,000 poverty stricken veterans marched on Washington, and set up camps. The fact that there were Negroes in the Camps was evidence that the demonstration was Communist inspired as at the time the Communists were one of the very few groups favoring integration. The Army bias was so strong that the presence of Jews was evidence of radicals. The Army, under General Douglas MacArthur with George Patton leading the Calvary, attacked the protesters camp and burned them out injuring many. President Hoover got the blame but MacArther did not obey Hoover’s instructions not to cross the bridge to the camp. He was in character as was his aide Major Dwight D. Eisenhower who tried to dissuade MacArthur from attacking to no avail.

Some say that President Roosevelt had instructed the war department to issue warnings to the military forces in the Philippines and the Pacific. Military intelligence argued against the Japanese attack on the Philippines—and did not think any attack anywhere very likely. When the president insisted, warnings went out and this is what was sent to General Short. The warning was ambiguous and Short did very little and was caught unprepared shortly thereafter. How much reliance should be placed on intelligence estimates has been a question that has been argued before World War II and after.

Plan Orange was the code name of the united states plan for possible war with Japan. In this ironic quotation, American military planners realized five years before Pearl Harbor that surprise attack was the major vulnerability. We were surprised and had no help from our intelligence service which despite the recommendations was almost nonexistent.

To modern Americans, this quotation is shocking. The thought that the United States Army could publish such a statement is hardly believable. Many first reactions assume that there was some mid level fascist officer in a training department which issued it. However this was not the case. It was issued in the name of the Secretary of War under the signature of Generals C.P. Summerall and Lutz Wahl, Chief of Staff and Adjutant General respectively. This document and others like it together with the views of pro fascist Americans like Henry Ford convinced Hitler and other European fascist leaders that America would not interfere with their designs on Europe.

The card was issued to all American troops in the theater. Similar versions were distributed to troops in Iraq, and other Arab countries.

This manual was still in force during the Iraq war 50 years later.

On March 9-10, 1945, over three hundred B-29 Superfortresses loaded with 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs flew over Tokyo bombing the city in waves for 6 hours. Over 250,000 buildings were destroyed and more people killed than would be in either Hiroshima or Nagasaki which were destroyed by atomic bombs. The fact that the Japanese would not surrender even after such complete destruction of their capital and largest industrial city, was used by American leaders in assessing whether to use the atomic bomb afterwards. There were many who believed that the atomic bomb would not be enough for motivate a Japanese surrender as Japanese culture prohibited surrender. Indeed, even after the 1st atomic bomb, the Japanese did not surrender, and after the 2nd, the war council was split 3-3 and the Emperor historically broke the tie. Even the atomic bomb might not have worked. Later generations found this resistance to surrender hard to understand but Japanese culture was amazingly strong then.

This quotation has been used by many criticizing the policy of massive bombing of Japanese Cities towards the end of the war. At first it appears that there was a racist disregard for Japanese Civilian lives. However there was legal logic. The Japanese had already bombed cities throughout Asia and did not adhere to the rules of war. The Japanese government “invited” all Japanese to join the military to defend the homeland to the death in the coming invasion. All adult civilians were mobilized. There were no adult civilians left in Japan. Perhaps more important was the industrial organization of Japan which exists in large part to this day. There were tens of thousands of small & tiny factories distributed throughout all the Japanese cities. These were distributed in civilian areas & in many cases were actually in homes to take advantage of available labor and not have to transport people. There was no way to bomb the munitions factories without bombing civilian neighborhoods.

Ellis Island was the facility that all East Coast immigrants to America came through. Army recruiting took place right there. Irish Immigrants in particular were targeted by the army. For many Irishmen, it was a very attractive prospect. They received a clean uniform, food, and an immediate pay check and provided a security not offered in the civilian economy. However, they were immediately shipped off to Mexico for the war effort.

This vague criterion was in effect and was initially used to clear scientists at Los Alamos and their spouses who were part of the team that was to develop the Atomic Bomb. The Army security people however had never been in such a situation before. Few distinguished scientists wanted to come to Los Alamos to begin with as once there, they were there for the duration of the war and were cut off from friends and relatives. But there were very few people in the entire country who had the unique education and training. When the security people rejected a candidate before that time, another person was recruited. But for many of the scientists at Los Alamos, they were one of a kind. There were not two Enrico Femi’s or Luis Alverez’s. “Moral fiber” could mean anything and the American academic world has always tolerated a wider variety of behavior then most of the rest of society. Sexual activity, left wing views, parental irresponsibility, failure to pay debts, attacking religion or religious organizations all created problems. But the biggest problem was association with others of “demonstrated weakness in moral fiber” including communists and left wingers. In most university settings, with a norm or tolerance, almost all associated with “undesirables”. As a result many scientists or family members could not get cleared. But the project could not function without them, and if some were fired for that reason, many others might have quit. Finally, General Groves, relaxed the standards, yet the army security officers were constantly suspicious. This criterion was in use as late as the 1960s where a brilliant scientist working in the Executive Office of the President was threatened with dismissal for this reason. She had borne an illegitimate child years earlier.

Despite the fact that there is no scientific data that even suggests that sex weakens men, the Armed Services promulgated this and other absurd and false information in order to try and minimize the amount of sex in which GIs would participate. The same myth was carried over into sports and athletics where many people still believe it.

Each day of WWII, 18,000 American servicemen were incapacitated by Venereal Disease --- more than by battle wounds on most days. This prevention poster appeared in Army bases throughout the world from 1942-1944. The “Three” were Hitler, Hirohito, and a skeletal “woman of the evening”. This was a shocking poster for many servicemen (and civilians) as the WWII attitudes were such that for the vast majority of Americans, nothing would be worse than Hitler and Hirohito.

This Civil War recruiting poster was described by the Free Library of Philadelphia as “Civil War recruitment print targeting African Americans by evoking the freedoms granted by the Emancipation Proclamation. Depicts a montage of symbolic scenes centered around an African American Union soldier triumphantly holding up a sword and an American flag with the banner "Freedom to the Slave." He stands near broken shackles upon a tri-color flag adorned with a coiled snake. The flag is tugged upon by one of three joyous slaves freed by an African American soldier. Other scenes depict an African American man reading a newspaper on a rocking chair near a plow and child, African American children entering a "Public School" near a church, and a regiment of "U.S. Colored Troops" marching across a battlefield strewn with dead bodies.”