Japanese Internment Camps

Executive Order of 9066

• Executive Order that allowed the US government to use of internment camps to contain the Japanese into certain areas

• US government felt this was necessary after the attack on Pearl Harbor, fearing that Japanese Americans would help Japan

Relocation of Japanese• There were a total of 10 camps that the

Japanese were moved to• They were told only to bring what they

could carry – had to leave all other possessions behind

• About 120,000 Japanese were relocated – most were American citizens

• “War Relocation Centers”

Camps were mainly in the western part of the United States.

US government were particularly concerned with Japanese living on the west coast, closest to Japan

Life in the Camps• Camp was surrounded by barbed wire• Ate in mess halls, had communal

bathrooms, lived in cramped quarters• Razors, scissors and radios were

banned• Children were sent to schools, run by

US government, taught American ideals

Japanese were told that if they boxed and labeled their other furniture/possessions the government would store it, but they made no guarantees about the security of the items

Leaving the Camps

• Could leave in 1943 if joined US military

• Roosevelt revoked the order in 1944 and the last camp was closed in 1946

Lasting Impression• Korematsu v. United States

• In 1990 US finally admitted wrong doing

• US apologized to 60,000 survivors and paid each 20,000 in reparations