Abstract The paper discusses the forced relocation of Japanese Americans to internmentcamps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The paper includes a discussion of those who favored and those who opposed the action.
From the Paper "Similar to the fear and paranoia directed at Arab-Americans after the terrorist attacks of September, fear and paranoia erupted in American society after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December. The US government took swift action after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Any immigrants arriving in America from Japan were officially classified as enemy aliens. As fear mounted that Japanese citizens of the US would undermine the US war effort, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued the Executive Order."
Tags:Japanese Americans, WWII, Pearl Harbor, terrorism, racism, prejudice, Franklin D. Roosevelt, internmentcamps, justice, democracy, politics, fear, paranoia
Abstract This paper discusses some background of the Japaneseinternment of World War II and the impact that the internment had on the American-Japanese population as well as the Japanese nation as a whole. The paper puts particular emphasis on the internees of the Minidoka Camp of South Central Idaho.
From the Paper "To fully understand the relocation of Japanese Americans one must understand how these people first came to this foreign land, and how later as they prospered, they came to be the recipients of racial prejudice from their white neighbors. The Japanese first came to America seeking their fortunes. Many worked as itinerate laborers with Californian fruit and Hawaiian sugar cane. As they continued to live in their new land, however, they eventually became businessmen, fishermen, and farmers themselves. In fact, by 1940 the Japanese Americans, despite discriminatory laws, owned 4% of the farmland in California. In 1920, twenty years earlier, they had already brought in 10% of California's agricultural production. "
Abstract This paper presents a detailed discussion about the internmentcamps for the Japanese that were set up and implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The internment of Japanese-Americans was drastic and shocking, but it was supported by the majority of non-Japanese Americans. It was a decision that left a bruise on the psyche of the nation, however. The writer explores the history leading up to the decision and the decision itself. The paper includes photographs and a timeline of events leading up to and including the internmentcamps.
From the Paper "He was considered one of the top military police officers in the nation at the time. He was largely responsible for making sure there was peace and order in the military areas of the nation, which included the military camps that the Japanese were being brought to. Gullion was considered an expert in legal affairs as well when it came to the actions of the military. He had serious concerns about the legal ability to lock up civilians who had done nothing wrong. He argued that the military could not get away with interfering in civilian lives."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that on February 19, 1942, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japanese troops, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, setting into motion the mass internment of over 110,000 Japanese-Americans in camps throughout the continental U.S. without trial or charge. Long the victims of racial discrimination, these Japanese-Americans found themselves the targets of an entire nation's hostilities during the war. The writer points out that this act of mass exclusion by the United States prompted very different reactions among the Japanese-American community, key examples of which are found in Monica Sone's 'Nisei Daughter' and John Okada's 'No-no Boy'. The writer discusses that these books, written in the 1950s, after the Japaneseinternment had ended, present two diametrically opposite responses to the internment of Japanese-American citizens, and explore the newly emerging relationship between Japanese-Americans and the United States in the post-war era.
From the Paper "Continuing where Nisei Daughter left off, but diverging sharply in its portrayal of the Japanese-American experience in the United States, No-No Boy traces the attempts made by Ichiro Yamada, a Japanese American internee who declined to serve in the U.S. army, and the novels central character, to integrate into American society following his internment and consequential imprisonment. The book explores the failure of Japanese American integration in the racially charged aftermath of the Second World War, and is unique in that it develops almost exclusively within the confines of Japanese American culture, where discrimination manifests itself even within the same race."
Abstract Both the United States and Canadian World War II era leadership participated in the internment of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans in an effort to ensure national security. This paper reviews the historical events surrounding the Japaneseinternmentcamps of World War II. The paper also examines how Americans learned from their mistakes after this incident.
From the Paper "Daily life in these camps was not as difficult or harsh as the work camps of Europe, however the overall happiness, prosperity, and functionality of these Japanese Americans was compromised. These people were forced to live in intimidating circumstances, behind barbed wire fences and surrounded by armed guards (Satsuki, 15). A significant percentage of those interned died from simple illnesses and injury due to inadequate or nonexistent medical care. Internees were shot for allegedly disobeying orders or trying to run away. The conditions were so unpleasant that President Roosevelt himself referred to these locations as "concentration camps" (Gallavan, and Roberts). These camps are filled with overzealous American military personnel who encouraged riots and incited unrest within the facilities."
Abstract This ten-page paper looks at the treatment of the Japanese Americans prior to and during the second world war. Also looking at the regimental Combat Team known as the 422nd and 100th battalions and their courageous successes during the Second World War.
Abstract This paper analyzes the issue of Japanese-American internmentcamps, through a review of Roger Daniels' book, "Prisoners Without Trials". The paper discusses the argument that the internment was justified at the time, due to the Japanese-Americans posing a security threat to the United States. This claim is explained as a poor excuse for racism, discrimination and political interest, on the part of the government. The paper continues to describe how the same government eventually admits that the internment was unjustified. The book is portrayed as clearly presenting the background and facts of this episode of racism and placing it in its historical context.
From the Paper "The argument that the interment was justified because Japanese Americans posed a threat to the security of the United States ignores the fact that Italian Americans and German Americans were not rounded up and placed in internment camps. This was true despite the fact that Germany and Italy were enemies in World War II along with Japan. The racism of the American government and the people who allowed internment to occur is evident in such a discriminatory decision, for of the three enemies in World War II, only the Japanese stood out in appearance from other Americans. Had Germany and Italy been located in Asia, or Africa, meaning that German Americans and Italian Americans would have appeared "foreign" to Americans, it is likely that German Americans and Italian Americans would have been locked up in internment camps as well."
Abstract This paper discusses how, due to military necessity, 120,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly interned in 1942, permanently scarring America, and creating a future precedence. The paper argues that this was an unjustified response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Surprisingly, the paper points out, many of the internees proved that they were able to make the best of a bad situation. Furthermore, despite the unfair treatment, a select few Japanese Americans were still willing to fight for their country and eventually became part of the most decorated unit in American history, the "Purple Heart Battalion". The paper concludes that this story proves that even in the face in adversity, people can do great things.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Journey to the Internmentcamps Living Conditions
Leisure
Education
Release and Reparations
Conclusion
From the Paper "Education was another serious concern among the camps. Schools had to be set up quickly, and materials were in short supply. Most schools opened around October, an unusual month compared to normal schools. In Wyoming, "A block of barracks was set aside for use as classrooms. Books did not arrive until December and then only in limited numbers. If a student had homework, he or she had to check out the textbook for the evening. Paper and pencils were also in short supply. The chalkboard was a piece of plywood painted black. Students sat on benches, and though some teachers had a table, others used boxes for desks. Students who sat in the front of the classroom near the potbellied stoves roasted, while those who sat in the back wore coats to keep from freezing. The open ceilings made for continuous distractions as the noise from one classroom invaded adjacent rooms." Other camps had it even worse though, holding classes in dinning halls, which proved to be both noisy and crowded. Teachers were also extremely hard to come by, but were appreciated when they did. Students were eager to learn and naturally cooperative. Later in the years, real schools began to appear complete with libraries, auditoriums, and even wood shops. To make things even better, "Graduates from the high schools in the relocation centers who qualified for colleges and universities, went to these schools in the mid-west and east coast states, usually on full scholarships. By the end of the war, many of these "students" were ready to graduate with college degrees and enter the job market at the same time the returning service men were just getting ready to enter college." So many people received college degrees that many camps were even able hold reunions for the students."
Tags: detention camps security, World War II, Pearl Harbor
Abstract This paper examines how, although the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, created a hatred and distrust of all Japanese-American citizens, Japanese-Americans stayed loyal to the nation that they loved. It looks at how they suffered through executive orders restricting their rights as human beings, forced mandatory imprisonment, and much other barbaric indifference.
From the Paper "Even before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese were segregated from the rest of the American people, similar to the segregation of the African-Americans, and Native Americans. The Anti-Alien Land act was passed in 1913, placing limits on Japanese people owning American land. Years before the Japanese gave The United States any legitimate reason to distrust the Japanese citizens, the Japanese -American citizens were denied the right to own land in the nation in which they lived, solely due to their race. When the President presented this Act, it was solely to limit the Japanese in America. Congress made him change his wording, but not the meaning. So having been blamed for the actions of their forefathers, the Japanese-Americans suffered through the forced segregation."
Abstract This paper explains that the history of the Japaneseinternmentcamps is becoming more widely studied; however, the internment of German-Americans, even some Jewish refugees, in the United States during WWII has not been highly publicized. The author tells the personal stories of some of these internees. The paper stresses that, although World War II is in the distant past, after 9/11, there were Arab-Americans who were detained in jails for quite some time for no reason. The United States must find the appropriate way of protecting the nation against security threats without losing sight of the liberties.
From the Paper "Because the FBI did not have the language ability and the contacts in Latin America, they drew up lists of Germans they found suspicious on the slightest evidence and anonymous informants. No holds were barred, as landlords turned in tenants and visa versa, and old lovers turned in each other. Anyone who made a denunciation to the U.S. consul in Guayaquil was paid $50 or given whisky. In Mexico, journalists and informants received retainers for providing "positive information" of dangerous Nazis. The flaws in this approach were obvious and objected to by at least two U.S. ambassadors."
Tags: fbi unconstitutional, civil liberties, national security, 9/11
Abstract This paper examines the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II by comparing this action with the freedom experienced by German-Americans during the same period. The author questions the inherent racism of Americans that enabled such an occurrence to be legally sanctioned, while German-Americans lived their lives freely, although Hitler and Germany were also enemies of America during World War II. The paper then presents a detailed background of the Japanese immigrant experience in America, contrasting this with the American ideal of freedom and the reality of racism. The experiences of African and Native-Americans are also considered. The paper then describes the actual Japaneseinternment, which was unprecedented event in American history. The paper further states how the Internment still has an effect on the psyche of the Japanese-American population today. The author concludes that the internment of Japanese-Americans during the Second World War was one of the great tragedies of American history.
Outline:
Introduction
Background: The Japanese Experience in America
Prejudice Unleashed: The Internment Experience
Conclusion
From the Paper " Naturally, the situation was worse the further removed from the Anglo-Saxon ideal a group might chance to be. After the Civil War, the newly reunited nation demanded a huge supply of cheap labor to build its rapidly expanding railroad network. In the West, this labor was provided, to a large extent, by settlers from Japan and China. Labor Contractors, generally Japanese or Chinese themselves actively recruited these workers and brought them to America. They helped to lay the foundations of America's industrial prosperity. White American racial attitudes combined with a nationwide railroad strike in 1877 to create the necessary conditions for a crackdown on Asian immigration. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was soon followed by other, stricter acts, in 1892, 1902, and 1904. And as White America saw little, if any difference, between Japanese and any other Asians, the anti-Chinese immigration laws were followed by a Japanese Exclusion Act in 1907. By 1924, the United States had imposed an almost total ban on all immigration from East Asia, ..."
Tags:Japanese-Americans, internment, World, War, II, immigrant, experiences
An examination of the life of Japanese women, before, during, and after their internment in the American internmentcamps that were established during World War II.
Abstract This paper examines how Japanese women came to America from their homeland and how, instead of starting anew, they simply brought the repressive culture with them. It looks at how, during the time they were in camps, they were forced to let go of tradition in many areas of life and how they found they had the ability and strength to make decisions, survive, and handle adversity. It also examines how, once they were out of the camps, they still faced attitude problems from those who blamed the residents for the Pearl Harbor attack. It shows how the camps were an atrocity and unfair to all who were forced into them and how, for Japanese women, they did help break a multi-generational pattern of self-doubt.
From the Paper "While the women were in the camps their treatment was a catalyst for their future. Women were ripped away from everything and everyone they had depended on before the camps were constructed. Their husbands were often sent to far away places, and if the females had married Americans then their husbands were not interned, but the women were. They were ripped away from their children many times as well. With very little notice, everything that they nurtured and lived for each day was suddenly gone. Their existence was stripped from them and once they were placed in the camps they were forced to re-invent and identify their existence."
Abstract In this article, the writer maintains that Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 led U.S. government officials to believe that West Coast Japanese residents, especially the Issei and the Nisei population, helped plan the attack. The writer points out that in response, these officials, including U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle, Los Angeles Congressman Leland Ford, and California Attorney General Earl Warren, called for the internment of first-generation Issei people and the second generation, American-born Nisei people in camps where they would spend the rest of the period of World War II. The writer notes that the intent was to prevent them from committing further acts of disloyalty to the U.S. The writer then discusses that, acting on their recommendation, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which evacuated almost 120,000 West Coast residents of Japanese descent from their homes to 10 government War Relocation Authority camps in the West, South and Southwest areas. The writer discusses the treatment of the Japanese internees and looks at the impact of and reactions to the internment.
From the Paper "The internment caused them further and deeper losses and sufferings. The internees lost their jobs, social networks, and education as well as work opportunities for being separated from the mainstream of life. The bitterness they felt towards the American government but could not direct to it was instead directed towards one another. There were conflicts between pro-Japanese and pro-American groups. As a result, hundreds of Nisei students who attended schools, like the College of Oberlin in Ohio, left the camps. Some Christian churches helped by taking Nisei people to work for them in the South and Midwest. Around a thousand joined the US military forces as part of the all-Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Four internees coursed their grievances through the courts and challenged the constitutionality of the relocation order. Their petitions were initially denied. But in December, 1944, the US Supreme Court found the petition of Mitsuye Endo as meritorious and decided that her detention violated her civil rights. In January, 1945, the War Department rescinded the evacuation orders and arranged for the release of the internees."
Abstract This paper discusses the cultural victimization of the Japaneseinternment marking the beginning of the American entry into World War II. The paper explains that there was no remittance given to any Japanese-American, and ethnicity was the only real determining factor for incarceration within a camp. The writer points out that, even people of significant social importance and wealth, who were second and even third generation Japanese-Americans, were evacuated, as can be attested to by the incarceration and internment of the well-known and well-respected Stanford professor, Yamato Ichihashi.
From the Paper "Immigrants have always offered a colorful perspective of the lands they choose to settle. As outsiders they can view customs and traditions that the natural born citizen simply take to be a standard practice, in most if not all places. Yet, immigrants make it clear that the world is not so similar and something even as simple as the way a person holds his or her head can be different in nearly every culture. It is with this special perspective that the voices of immigrants color the world in which they live. Yet, as outsiders their perspective or reality rarely achieved appreciation form those who fear the unknown. It is for this reason that the immigrant is often the victim of oppression and subjugation that further colors their view of their chosen culture and can also starkly affect their worldview for the rest of their lives."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth examination of how the American government treated Japanese-Americans during World War II, after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The paper looks at the the relocation camps where the Japanese-Americans were sent, their treatment there and some of the long-term implications of this policy. Relations between Japan and the United States prior to Pearl Harbor are also examined in detail.
From the Paper "Many people criticized the U.S. government for acting the way it did toward Japanese-Americans. Some of these critics have said that the United States acted as if martial law had been called out (Inada 187). Although of course the United States remained under civilian rule for the war, in some ways its actions were like those that are taken by martial law authorities. Martial law is put into effect when civil authority alone is deemed not to be strong or severe enough to keep life functioning in a basically normal and safe way. Usually governments that declare martial law allow normal civil rights to be taken away from people. This could mean, for example, that if martial law were called out in America then Americans would no longer be able to be tried by a jury if they were accused of a crime (Inada 149). This is almost what happened to Japanese-Americans."
