Utah Conference for Undergraduate Research: Academic Presentation
February 16, 2024 Utah Valley University
Rhetorical Weaponry: How the United States Government Participated in the Anti-Japanese Hysteria of 1942
Abstract: In December of 1941, following the attack by the nation of Japan on Pearl Harbor, the United States experienced a period of anti-Japanese sentiment which was directed at both Japanese immigrants as well as Japanese-American citizens. The rhetorical theories of Aristotle, Lloyd Bitzer, and Kenneth Burke show that the United States government actively participated in the anti-Japanese hysteria of World War II through its use of executive orders and propaganda. The result of this hysteria was the breach of civil liberties for over 120,000 Japanese people, approximately two-thirds of whom were American citizens. This research demonstrates the rhetorical methods employed by the U.S. government and examines modern-day concerns regarding the possibility of recurrence.