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More than a
year after the American administration received unequivocal reports
about the rampant murder of Jews in Europe, President Roosevelt made
a modest gesture to rescue such Jews as remained alive-if only to
preempt Congress in taking swift action and receiving the credit for
it. The War Refugee Board was established by special request of U.S.
Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, who had presented the
president with evidence about the State Department’s systematic
efforts to sabotage rescue efforts. The board was instructed to take
action to rescue and assist the victims. Theoretically, it was given
impressive powers and was promised assistance from all
Administration agencies. Practically, it was established at a very
late stage for most Jews in Europe, was under-funded, and received
little assistance from the rest of the Administration. The board was
put to its first real test when the Nazis occupied Hungary in March
1944, putting the last remaining large Jewish community at risk. It
was instrumental in the rescue activities that developed there. As
the war wound down, the board played a crucial role in saving
additional Jews, mainly by threatening to have Nazi officials, as
well as accomplices from the Axis powers, prosecuted as war
criminals after the impending surrender.
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