Japanese Internment Camps Essay, Research Paper

Relocation Centers of Japanese-Americans

(1942-1943)

Throughout the spring and summer of 1942, the United States Government

planned and carried out without serious incident, one of the largest controlled migrations

in history. This was the migration of almost 110,000 men, women, and children of

Japanese decent from their homes on the Pacific coast into ten wartime communities

constructed in remote areas between the Sierra-Nevada Mountains and the Mississippi

River.

According to the United States Government, relocation centers were never

intended to be internment camps or places of confinement. Under United States law at that

time, “Aliens of enemy nationality who are found guilty of acts or intentions against the

security of the Nation are to be confined in internment camps.” Internment camps were

administered by the Department of Justice unlike relocation centers which were

administered by the War Relocation Authority.

The physical standards of the relocation centers were never much above

the bare subsistence level. For a small portion of the Japanese evacuees, these standards

were an improvement to their normal quality of living. But for the majority of the

evacuated people, the relocation centers, despite all efforts to make them livable, remained subnormal. Evacuees had

few leave privileges and had to meet certain criteria to do so.

The movement of residing evacuees was somewhat restricted and the feeling of isolation

was inevitable.

The tarpaper covered barracks of simple frame construction served as

housing in the relocation centers. None of the barracks had plumbing or cooking

facilities of any kind. A normal family of five or six received a single room about

25 by 20 feet. Unattached evacuees, for example, bachelors lived in large, one room

dormitories. Army blankets, cots, and small heating stoves were the only furnishings

provided by the government. One bath, laundry, and toilet room was provided for each

block of barracks housing 250 plus people.

Food was provided by the government for the evacuee residents. Meals

were provided for evacuees costing no more than 45 cents per resident per day (the actual

cost averaged at about 40 cents). Food was prepared by evacuee cooks and served in mess

halls large enough to accomodate atleast 300 people. Evacuees worked on farms which

were government-owned or -leased farmlands. Resident farm workers produced most of

the food consumed in the relocation centers. Most centers included farm program which

included poultry, eggs, and pork.

Medical care was also provided by the government free of charge to all

residents. This was thought to help prevent serious epidemics from spreading. Hospitals

were built at all relocation centers. Simple dental and optical services were also provided.

Any special medical services which were not available were to be paid for by the

evacuees.

Able-bodied evacuees were to work in jobs essential to community

operations. Residents worked in mess halls, in hospitals, on farms, internal police, and

in construction, and road maintenance work. Most residents who work were paid on

average 14-16 dollars for a 44 hour week.

Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066 on February

19, 1942. His order called for the eviction and internment of all Japanese-Americans.

It is horrifying to recall that through the “Japanese recollection program”, a tragic event

that brought heartbreak to many, was justified on the ground that the Japanese were

potentially disloyal, the record does not disclose a single case of Japanese disloyalty or sabotage during the whole war.