BRIEF SUMMARY
The tragedies of the German Holocaust have taken the spotlight in
history, but the Japanese American Internment has taken the back seat in American
history. What young Americans today are unaware of is that we have
practiced similar unjust discrimination and incarceration of people, including
our American citizens. During War World II Japan’s military forces had bombed
the US military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The bombing
was extremely successful and the fact that the majority of the Western population, and Hawaiians were
Japanese raised eyebrows from the US government. Two-thirds of the Western national
crops disappeared mostly under the supervision of Japanese civilians (Baughman
Web). This sparked the hysteria of social dismay and political leaders' concern
for national security (Baughman Web). This epidemic of hysteria spread like
wildfire, and became a nationwide pandemic of frantic civilians and government
officials.
People of Japanese descent, regardless of citizenry were under suspicion of treason. This forced President Franklin D. Roosevelt to issue the Executive Order 9066. The Order of 9066 authorized a green light against all people of Japanese heritage by forcing them into relocation camps or assembly centers as they call it and held in confinement. (Baughman Web) Following the executive order, government officials and military personnel rounded up Japanese Americans on the West Coast without indictment, trial, or conviction. (Brooks 6) Notices were pin around cities like wanted posters in a short period. The relocation was so swift that most Japanese were left with nothing, but anything they can carry by the time they arrived to the camps. Many Japanese lost their homes, cars, businesses, and valuable family heirlooms. (Bannai 9) For 4 years, there were over 110,000 Japanese internees on the Pacific coast. Ironically, Hawaii occupied 150,000-plus Japanese Americans comprising over one-third of the Japanese population, but only had 1200-1800 internees. Sixty-two percent of all internees were American citizens. As invasion worries dissipated, in January 1945, the government exonerated the Japanese to the West Coast. All they were offered as compensation was a measly $25 one-way ticket to anywhere, but they had no idea where to go like tortured victims being let loose in the desert. (Ewers)
There were ten different internment facilities throughout California, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arkansas. Santa Anita Racetrack was the largest relocation facility, housing over 19,000 Japanese Americans right in our backyard. Imagine how these makeshift camps were if they cramped 19,000 people into an animal’s den. (Dudley 12) The living conditions were worse than today’s prison. Yet, the Japanese citizens tried to calm their uncertainty and relinquish any scrutiny placed upon them by seeking normalcy, and allegiance. (Smith 252) Living conditions were harsh, and unsanitary within the camps; Japanese lived without necessary equipment and facilities. The living quarters had relatively zero privacy. Atrocious crimes were committed throughout the camps. Even though the Japanese’s internment was not as horrific compared with the Holocaust, it is no better than premeditated crimes of frivolous disputes. Like today’s international or war conflicts, the civilians has always been punished through racial profiling regardless of inapplicable affiliations. (Dudley 35) The Japanese Internment was nothing short of racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.
People of Japanese descent, regardless of citizenry were under suspicion of treason. This forced President Franklin D. Roosevelt to issue the Executive Order 9066. The Order of 9066 authorized a green light against all people of Japanese heritage by forcing them into relocation camps or assembly centers as they call it and held in confinement. (Baughman Web) Following the executive order, government officials and military personnel rounded up Japanese Americans on the West Coast without indictment, trial, or conviction. (Brooks 6) Notices were pin around cities like wanted posters in a short period. The relocation was so swift that most Japanese were left with nothing, but anything they can carry by the time they arrived to the camps. Many Japanese lost their homes, cars, businesses, and valuable family heirlooms. (Bannai 9) For 4 years, there were over 110,000 Japanese internees on the Pacific coast. Ironically, Hawaii occupied 150,000-plus Japanese Americans comprising over one-third of the Japanese population, but only had 1200-1800 internees. Sixty-two percent of all internees were American citizens. As invasion worries dissipated, in January 1945, the government exonerated the Japanese to the West Coast. All they were offered as compensation was a measly $25 one-way ticket to anywhere, but they had no idea where to go like tortured victims being let loose in the desert. (Ewers)
There were ten different internment facilities throughout California, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arkansas. Santa Anita Racetrack was the largest relocation facility, housing over 19,000 Japanese Americans right in our backyard. Imagine how these makeshift camps were if they cramped 19,000 people into an animal’s den. (Dudley 12) The living conditions were worse than today’s prison. Yet, the Japanese citizens tried to calm their uncertainty and relinquish any scrutiny placed upon them by seeking normalcy, and allegiance. (Smith 252) Living conditions were harsh, and unsanitary within the camps; Japanese lived without necessary equipment and facilities. The living quarters had relatively zero privacy. Atrocious crimes were committed throughout the camps. Even though the Japanese’s internment was not as horrific compared with the Holocaust, it is no better than premeditated crimes of frivolous disputes. Like today’s international or war conflicts, the civilians has always been punished through racial profiling regardless of inapplicable affiliations. (Dudley 35) The Japanese Internment was nothing short of racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.