France issued a formal "recognition" of its role in the Nazi Holocaust and the deportation of the Jewish population to death camps. The Vichy government of that era "helped deport some 76,000 people-including 11,000 children from Nazi occupied France". About 3000 survived to return. The recognition does not include reparation payments. (Q: What about the Jewish population of Vichy France? Were they deported or persecuted?).
(Source: "France concedes its role in Holocaust" from news service reports. The Record on February 17, 2009)
The US government has granted recognition and a one time payment-compensation-to Filipino WWII vets who fought with US forces. Filipino vets who are US citizens will receive $ 15,000 and non citizens $ 9000; the entire bill will cost $ 198 million. Filipinos who were "conscripted into the US Army" were promised the same benefits as US citizen veterans. After the war, "Congress stripped them of their status and their rights to many benefits". At the time 200,000 Filipinos "fought alongside US soldiers" and about 18,000 are still alive and some 6000 are living in the US. The compensation is open for a one-year period from the date of enactment of this bill and would include "widows or widowers of claimants". This legislation will be part of the economic stimulus package soon to be signed by President Obama.
(Source: "Stimulus bill to reward Filipino vets" by Elizabeth Llorente of The Record. February 17, 2009).
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