What Did America and American Jews Do During the Holocaust in Reaction to It?

What did America and American Jews do during the Holocaust in reaction

to it?

During the years 1939-1945 America and American Jews had a decision to make of whether they would join World War II and bring the Holocaust to a standstill or not take part in the war. America decided to intercede into the Holocaust when the situation benefited the nation's welfare and when they realized that Jewish annihilation was very real. American Jews were placed in an awkward position because anti-Semitism was at an all time high in America and loved ones were forced to suffer the evil doings of Nazi power. American Jews were torn between patriotism and anti-Semitism. Throughout the years of the Holocaust sources exposed the happenings in Europe between the Jews and Nazis. America had and understanding of the kinds of situations that were occurring with Jews but many Americans did not take it as seriously as it should have been taken. Believing the press and taking action against Germany or simply disregarding a people across an ocean is a decision that America made six million Jews too late.

American Jews did react to the Holocaust but of the millions that knew what was happening to the Jews in Germany their voices were only a mere echo. Information about the Holocaust found its way to the American public and the American Jewish Committee, as well as, the American Jewish Congress took it upon themselves to be involved in the situation to at least attempt to prevent what was soon to be inevitable. According to Weisel in a lecture given by Marvin Kalb entitled "The Journalism of the