Japanese- American Japanese- American Internment during WWIIInternment during WWII

1942-1945

Historical Background Historical Background The United States closed its doors to

Japanese immigrants thru the Immigration Act of 1924.

There were an estimated 127,000 Japanese in the United States prior to the war, most of them lived in the West Coast States.

Racism towards the Japanese was a mix of traditional anti-immigrant racist sentiment and the anger at Japanese imperialism.

Historical Background Historical Background

Industrialists who at first welcomed the cheap labor began looking at their Japanese work force with animosity when they demanded for equal pay.

In this environment, it is not surprising that after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, white Americans and the government were in favor or inclined toward internment of the Japanese.

Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 United StatesUnited States

National Security Argument: The likelihood of Japanese espionage.

In addition, reports were produced that Japanese saboteurs were residing in important business and military sectors.

Video from the office of War information

Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 United StatesUnited States

National Security Argument: The February 19, 1942 Executive Order 9066 by

FDR authorized the U.S. Army to relocate Japanese from such strategic areas in the name of National Security.

As a result, the Army relocated 120,000 Japanese to internment camps under the control of the War Relocation Board.

Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 United States United States Political Reasons: The relocation policy was

affected by economic and patriotic pressure groups, politicians, the radio and press, and war hysteria on the part of the people.

Under such conditions, action against the Japanese was justified by the majority of the U.S.

Toyosaburo Korematsu Toyosaburo Korematsu versus versus

the United Statesthe United States

Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 Decision to Intern: 1941-1942 United States United States

Why Did the Courts Uphold Internment? The Japanese internment was challenged in the

Toyosaburo Korematsu versus the United States in 1944.

United States Supreme Court decided to uphold the policy of interment because it was perceived as actions that support the welfare of the greater public.

The court decision was that “Pressing public necessity may sometimes justify the existence of such restrictions where racial antagonism never can” (Toyosaburo Korematsu versus the United States).

Location of CampsLocation of Camps

Life in the Camps 1942-1945Life in the Camps 1942-1945United StatesUnited StatesThe Camps and their

Impact on FamiliesThe camps were on

average a square mile in area and had military guards and barb wire fences to keep the evacuees in.

Those who were forced to evacuate were given as little as 48 hours to do so.

Life in the Camps 1942-1945Life in the Camps 1942-1945United StatesUnited StatesThe Camps and their Impact on Families

The camps were composed of barrack-like houses 20’x25’ which housed several families and with communal areas for all the basic necessities.

In addition, all interned Japanese of age 17 were asked in a loyalty test a series of questions, which if answered ‘no’ to numbers 27 and 28 meant that they would be sent to the Tule Lake relocation facility.

Tule Lake would later not Tule Lake would later not just be a regular internment just be a regular internment camp detaining Japanese-camp detaining Japanese-Americans, but also a high-Americans, but also a high-security segregation security segregation center. Tule Lake started to center. Tule Lake started to be a camp that held be a camp that held Japanese-Americans who Japanese-Americans who were deemed dangerous; were deemed dangerous; most of who were deemed most of who were deemed dangerous from a question dangerous from a question they were asked at their they were asked at their original camporiginal camp

First-graders, some of Japanese ancestry, at the Weill public First-graders, some of Japanese ancestry, at the Weill public school, San Francisco, Calif., pledging allegiance to the United school, San Francisco, Calif., pledging allegiance to the United States flag.States flag.

The store was closed following orders to persons of Japanese The store was closed following orders to persons of Japanese descent to evacuate from certain West Coast areas.descent to evacuate from certain West Coast areas.

The internment of Americans of Japanese ethnic origin was The internment of Americans of Japanese ethnic origin was organized and supervised by the military authorities but little organized and supervised by the military authorities but little compulsion was needed in practice.compulsion was needed in practice.

Residents of Japanese ancestry, at the Heart Mountain Residents of Japanese ancestry, at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, were quick to grasp the recreational Relocation Center, were quick to grasp the recreational

advantages of Wyoming's cold weather.advantages of Wyoming's cold weather.

Life in the Camps 1942-1945Life in the Camps 1942-1945United States United States

Medical stations were ill equipped, doctors did what they could with minimum supplies to help those who fell sick.

Strict rationing of food stuffs was common in the internment camps.

Japanese American citizens lost their citizenship and where unable to regain it at the end of the war, because of Public Law 78-405 signed by FDR.

Release to Freedom United States Release to Freedom United States Japanese began exiting the camps as early as

1943, but these were those who could find employment outside the camps.

In 1943 this occurred at a rate of 75 people per day that left the War Relocation Authority’s centers with FBI clearance.

However, the release of the majority of the Japanese occurred in 1945, after the exclusion order was lifted.

Some returned to their old areas of habitation, while others stayed in the areas surrounding the camps.

A Japanese family returns home to find their garage vandalized with graffiti and broken

windows in Seattle, on May 10, 1945.

Search for Redress 1946-1990sSearch for Redress 1946-1990sUnited StatesUnited States

Japanese-American Claims Act 1948The first movement toward redress in the United

States was the Japanese-American Claims Act signed on July 2nd, 1948.

Japanese internees had to present their loses due to the relocation in eighteen months time.

They were compensated only 10% of their lost property.

In total only $38 million of the estimated $400 million in losses were compensated by this act.

Search for Redress 1946-1990sSearch for Redress 1946-1990sUnited States United States

The Commission on the Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) was created by Congress in 1980 to review the decisions and actions dealing with the internment of Japanese Americans.

The CWRIC heard the testimony of over 750 witnesses, which included internees and government officials of WWII.

In a report issued by CWRIC in 1983 concluded that the Executive Order 9066 was based on “"race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership."

Search for Redress 1946-1990sSearch for Redress 1946-1990sUnited States (cont)United States (cont)

Civil Liberties Act of 1988President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act,

which sought to provide the compensation of $20,000 for each surviving internees.

In total, $1.65 billion were given to 82,000 internees.

This Act was an official recognition by the government of having acted unjustly and also offered an apology for those actions.

The act also provided for “a public education fund to inform the public about internment”