Japanese-American Internment C Essay, Research Paper

After war was declared German-Americans and Italian-Americans, about

5, 000, were rounded up. With in a year most of the 5,000 were released. The

hatred became focused on the Japanese-Americans. Being of their race and

people automatically thought they were with the enemy, that attacked Pearl

Harbor.

Of the 127, 000 Japanese-Americans living in America, about two thirds

were born American citizens, but this did not stop the suspicions and hostility directed towards them.

Almost all of the Japanese-Americans lived in California, Oregon, and Washington. War jitters were running high there, after Pearl Harbor. The anti-oriental racism finally boiled over. Columnist Henry Mclemore of the Hearst newspaper, Examiner, expressed the ugly mood. Herde em up,

pack em off, wrote Mclemore. Let em be pinched, hurt, hungry and

dead up against it.

Sometimes hatred came in violence and property damage. There were

some Japanese-American defenders. Woody Guthrie and Cisco kid were

involved in the most dramatic stands.

The pressure for action against the Japanese-Americans mounted.

President Roosevelt, on February 19, 1942, signed Executive Order 9066.

Though told for everyone, the order was direct toward Japanese-Americans.

In the spring and summer of 1942, 112, 000 Japanese-Americans were

Moved to temporary camps. In the end they were moved farther inland to

ten permanent camps. They were located in barren and isolated areas of six western states and Arkansas.

Most of those forced to leave their home were in the camps for the minim of three years. Not one Japanese-Americans were put to trial on

Charge of espionage or sabotage. The truth is that too few Americans had calm to raise questions of that kind.

In the camps Japanese-Americans were treaded pretty well. In the Manzanzar Relocation Center, in the California Desert, a mother and her children wade through the stream near the camp. In Tule Lake Relocation Center, costumed Japanese-Americans entertained fellow internees and a

Farmer does his old farming job in the camp. Some women got paid up

$19 a month to weave camouflage netting for the army.