Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order Episode 2: The Jitters
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Dec 1, 2025 In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, a wave of paranoia sweeps the West Coast. General John DeWitt grapples with anxiety as he faces a perceived threat while a young aide devises a controversial plan targeting Japanese Americans. Tensions rise as legal experts inside the Justice Department scramble to intervene. Amid the chaos, naval officer Ken Ringel’s findings reveal the loyalty of Japanese Americans, but his report arrives too late, coinciding with the signing of a harmful evacuation order. A chilling look at fear, prejudice, and the consequences of wartime hysteria.
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Jitters At Western Defense Command
- Lieutenant General John DeWitt's command on the West Coast was gripped by fear, false reports, and irrational claims after Pearl Harbor.
- That panic set the stage for radical policies despite being repeatedly debunked by other agencies.
Justice Dept. Sets Individual Hearings
- The Justice Department, led by Edward Ennis, implemented hearings for aliens arrested under the Alien Enemies Act.
- Ennis set up civilian hearing officers to decide release, parole, reporting, or internment.
Pre-Dawn Arrests And Family Trauma
- FBI agents arrested community leaders in Japanese-American families in pre-dawn raids and held them incommunicado.
- Families were left terrified as fathers were taken without explanation and often never returned during the war.
