Executive Order 8389
Executive Order 8389 Protecting Funds of Victims of Aggression[1] was issued by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 10, 1940, following the invasions of Denmark and Norway by Nazi Germany.
Implementation
One of the primary concerns of the U.S. government in the early years of World War II was to prevent the Nazis from using the financial resources of the United States to finance their military campaigns and occupation costs.[2] The task of enforcing this goal by controlling financial assets fell to the US Treasury Department, and President Roosevelt enabled its actions by issuing Executive Order 8389 on April 10, 1940, which froze Norwegian and Danish assets in the United States. As precedent, Roosevelt invoked an act of October 6, 1917, and Executive Order 6560 of January 15, 1934.[3]
In doing so, Roosevelt not only offered symbolic support to the occupied nations of Europe, but also guaranteed future practical assistance by assuring that the assets of such states would be returned once the aggressors were defeated.[4]: 34 The Order, initially ruling only on Norwegian and Danish assets, was later amended to include those of most European states, with the notable exemption of Great Britain. The subsequent amendments were filed under separate Order numbers.[5]
After the occupation and annexation of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) by the Soviet Union, Order 8389 was amended via Executive Order 8484 on 15 July 1940 to include those states.[6] The Soviet government condemned the freezing of the Baltic states' assets, asserting that there was no legal basis for suspending the transfer.[4]: 35 Sumner Welles, acting Secretary of State, addressed the objection in a statement:
The attempt to transfer the gold belonging to the Banks of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia was made at a time when it had become apparent that the governments and peoples of those countries were being deprived of freedom of action by foreign troops which had entered their territories by force or threats of force.[4]: 35
Prior to the inclusion of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, all the other European states affected by the Order had come under the military occupation of Nazi Germany.[4]: 35 In conjunction with the Welles declaration, Executive Order 8484 and its enforcement by the Treasury Department offered both immediate and long-term benefits to the Baltic states.[4]: 42
A postcard was sent in 1940 by a German Company in Germany to a firm in New York. In the postcard there is a mention of Munich Reich Bank, that triggered application of this Roosevelt Executive order. Upon arrival to the US this marking was added: "SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN MATTER SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVED ORDER 8389 AS AMENDED." The German firm was Wackerchemic of Munich and the PC was sent to Sager & Malcolm in NYC.
References
- ^ Roosevelt, Franklin (April 10, 1940). "Executive Order 8389 Protecting Funds of Victims of Aggression". Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ "Wartime Efforts To Halt Commerce With Germany and Prevent the Flight Abroad of German Assets". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ "Franklin D. Roosevelt - Executive Order 8389 Protecting Funds of Victims of Aggression". American Presidency Project (University of California, Santa Barbara). Retrieved 2009-05-11.
- ^ a b c d e Hiden, John; Vahur Made; David J. Smith (2008). The Baltic question during the Cold War. Routledge. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-415-37100-1.
- ^ "Franklin D. Roosevelt - 1940". Federal Register. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
- ^ "Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the United States nonrecognition policy of the Soviet takeover of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and calling for positive steps to promote a peaceful and democratic future for the Baltic region". Embassy of the United States - Estonia. Archived from the original on 2007-08-02. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
Whereas on July 15, 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 8484, which froze Baltic assets in the United States to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands
- v
- t
- e
- 32nd President of the United States (1933–1945)
- 44th Governor of New York (1929–1932)
- Assistant Secretary of the Navy (1913–1920)
- New York State Senator (1911–1913)
(timeline)
- Transition
- Inaugurations (1st
- 2nd
- 3rd
- 4th)
- First and second terms
- Third and fourth terms
- Foreign policy
- New Deal
- Federal Emergency Relief Administration
- Civilian Conservation Corps
- Agricultural Adjustment Act
- Emergency Banking Act
- Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944
- Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- National Labor Relations Act of 1935
- National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933
- Works Progress Administration
- Social Security Act
- Communications Act of 1934
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Monetary gold ownership
- Record on civil rights
- Indian Reorganization Act
- Executive Orders 9066, 9102
- Brownlow Committee
- Executive Office of the President
- G.I. Bill of Rights
- Cullen–Harrison Act
- Roerich Pact
- Four Freedoms
- Black Cabinet
- Jefferson's Birthday holiday
- Jefferson Memorial
- Judicial Court-Packing Bill
- Cannabis policy
- Federal Judicial appointments
- Cabinet
- "Brain Trust"
- March of Dimes
- Modern Oval Office
- Official car
- Criticism
- Executive Orders
- Presidential Proclamations
foreign policy
- Banana Wars
- Good Neighbor Policy (1933–1945)
- Montevideo Convention (1933)
- Second London Naval Treaty (1936)
- ABCD line (1940)
- Export Control Act
- Four Policemen
- Destroyers-for-bases deal
- Lend-Lease
- 1940 Selective Service Act
- Hull note
- Atlantic Charter (1941)
- Military history of the United States during World War II
- Declaration by United Nations (1942)
- World War II conferences
- Quebec Agreement
- Europe first
- Morgenthau Plan support
speeches
- 1932 Acceptance speech
- Commonwealth Club Address
- Madison Square Garden speech
- "Four Freedoms"
- Day of Infamy speech
- Arsenal of Democracy
- "...is fear itself"
- Fireside chats
- "Look to Norway"
- Quarantine Speech
- "The More Abundant Life"
- State of the Union Address (1934
- 1938
- 1939
- 1940
- 1941 (Four Freedoms)
- 1944 (Second Bill of Rights)
- 1945)
- Bibliography
- Statues
- Presidential Library and Museum
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Foundation
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Roosevelt Island
- White House Roosevelt Room
- Roosevelt Institute for American Studies
- USS Franklin D. Roosevelt
- USS Roosevelt
- Four Freedoms Award
- Four Freedoms paintings
- Unfinished portrait
- U.S. Postage stamps
- Roosevelt dime
- I'd Rather Be Right 1937 musical
- Films
- The Roosevelt Story 1947
- Sunrise at Campobello 1960
- Eleanor and Franklin 1976, The White House Years 1977
- Backstairs at the White House 1979 miniseries
- World War II: When Lions Roared 1997 miniseries
- Warm Springs 2005
- Hyde Park on Hudson 2012
- The Roosevelts 2014 documentary
- The First Lady 2022 miniseries
- FDR 2023 miniseries
- Other namesakes
(Roosevelt
• Delano)
- Eleanor Roosevelt (wife)
- Anna Roosevelt Halsted (daughter)
- James Roosevelt II (son)
- Elliott Roosevelt (son)
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. (son)
- John Aspinwall Roosevelt II (son)
- James Roosevelt I (father)
- Sara Ann Delano (mother)
- James Roosevelt Roosevelt (half-brother)
- Isaac Roosevelt (grandfather)
- Warren Delano Jr. (grandfather)
- Fala (family dog)
- Major (family dog)
- Category