From Pearl Harbor to Manzanar

This is No Drill Dec. 7, 1941: Japanese Imperial Navy bombs Pearl Harbor, home of the Pacific fleet Japanese navy only 450 kilometers from Hawaii Dec. 8, 1941: FDR asks for a declaration of war from Congress Congress gives vast war-making powers to the President “day which will live in infamy” result of poor communication and underestimation of the Japanese military capability

Public Response to Pearl Harbor Shock, indignation: Pearl Harbor deemed a sneak attack-not war by “gentlemen’s rules” How did we let this one get by? In addition to patriotism and unity, rioting, looting, harassment, propaganda, anger, hysteria

Demonizing the Enemy

Propaganda Methods Stereotyping Substitution of names Transfer: connection between something valued/hated and idea being discussed Selection of simple facts Repetition Assertion Appeals to values: authority, patriotism

Did racism make internment possible? Pre WWII racism toward people of Japanese descent made internment possible 1905: Asiatic Exclusion League--SF Japanese farm laborers often deported from towns by vigilante groups-Turlock, CA Ozawa Case in USSC: Issei can’t become naturalized citizens on basis of race: ban lasts until anti-immigration signed by Coolidge- effectively ends Japanese immigration

The Nikkei Nikkei--Four generations of people of Japanese ancestry living in America Issei-1st generation-born in Japan Nisei---2nd generation, raised in the US for the most part-- Japanese and American in culture (Kibei--Nisei who return to Japan) Sansei--3rd Generation, some born in the internment camps, but too little to remember--have tried to reetablish link with this tragedy Yonsei--children of the Sansei Issei Volunteer for US Army 1918

FDR and Japanese-Americans Executive Order 9066-Feb. 19, 1942 Executive Order 9102-Mar. 18-establishes WRA FDR declares West Coast a “war theater” 110,000 forcibly “interned” to 10 locations in 7 states families given 48 hrs. to dispose of belongings if sold, most received only about 5% of value of possessions 1/3 Issei, 2/3 Nisei

Internment Camps

LEAVING HOME

Japanese Farms in California and Internment Policy

Life in Manzanar

Attitudes about Internment FDR: Oct refers to “relocation centers” as “concentration camps” Relocation deemed“necessary” as states refused to accept Japanese Military/Society –Japanese-Americans seen as potential spies Entertainment: “ Little Tokyo, USA”-20th Century Fox--all Issei and Nisei are seen as “volunteer spies” Japanese are the only ethnic group singled out for internment during WWII in America--not Italian or German Americans Business/labor: –opportunity to take out the competition

Internment and the Constitution Korematsu vs. US Supreme Court rules internment Constitutional –Court could not second-guess military decisions –but once loyalty was established, then you couldn’t hold the person –(by then, the camps were being closed down )

The Camps up Close Assembly Centers- temporary camps from winter to fall of ‘42 Relocation Centers: permanent camps Dry, arid conditions-- fit for toxic waste disposal today

Gila River, AZ Manzanar, CA Two Issei playing Go at Poston Relocation Center Nisei US Soldier visiting family

What were the results? Greatest violation of civil liberties on the homefront $105 million of farmland lost $500 million in yearly income, plus uncalculated personal savings No act of sabotage proved March ‘46: camps closed : CWRIC- Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians 1988 Official govt. apology + reparations 1990: $20,000 to each internee