1. WWII: The Asian American Experience

2. Japanese Experience: Entering War Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941 America enters the War 1942 Population:

3. Japanese Experience: In Hawaii Navy Secretary Frank Knox claimed sabotage Japanese (The 5 th Column) Recommends internment (Dec. 19) despite a lack of evidence from naval and FBI intelligence.

4. Japanese Experience: In Hawaii Dec. 21 st, General Delos Emmons, military governor of Hawaii, in a radio address says:

5. Japanese Experience: In Hawaii War department asked for his opinion on evacuating Japanese from Oahu. – Against: – Knew DC wouldn’t listen:

6. Japanese Experience: In Hawaii General Emmons convinced DC Japanese should be handled by those in direct contact. Hawaii protected JAs because they knew Japanese were loyal to Hawaii.

7. Japanese Experience: In Hawaii Schools reopened Jan. 1942: Issei and Nissei play a part in defense:

8. Japanese Experience: On Mainland Curtis Munson: Munson Report 11/7/1941

9. Japanese Experience: On Mainland Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt, Western Defense Command, disagreed with findings.

10. Japanese Experience: On Mainland On January 4, 1942 in San Francisco

11. Japanese Experience: On Mainland Press campaign for Japanese removal. Patriotic organizations joined - California Department of American Legion and Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden West.

12. Japanese Experience: On Mainland Secretary of War Henry Stimson against – went against constitution. August 10, 1936, FDR asks chief of Naval Operations to:

13. Japanese Experience: On Mainland Feb 11, 1942, FDR meets with Stimson. Attorney General Biddle tries to reason with FDR claiming there is no evidence. But FDR didn’t care.

14. Japanese Experience: Internment Feb 19, 1942 FDR signs Executive Order 9066 A few months later, War Dept wants to apply Executive Order to Germans and Italians on the East Coast. FDR gives DeWitt full authority to evacuate JA, place in assembly centers, and eventually internment camps.

15. Japanese Experience: Internment Curfew and orders for evacuation were posted on telephone poles Many only had 6 days to get rid of their things. Others bought stuff at low price knowing they could not bargain

16. Japanese Experience: Internment Minoru Yasui of Portland, Oregon refused curfew. Fred Korematsu of California and Gordon Hirabayashi of Washington refused to report All 3 were arrested, convicted, and sent to prison. They took their case to the Supreme Court but the Supreme Court upheld the convictions.

17. Japanese Experience: Internment At control centers, evacuees registered and each family was given a number.

18. Japanese Experience: Internment At assembly centers, they were housed in stockyards, fairgrounds, and race tracks.

19. Japanese Experience: Internment After a brief stay, put onto trains – 500 per car. Did not know where they were going. Sent to internment camps. There were 10 total in remote deserts. – Topaz in Utah – Poston and Gila River in Arizona, – Amache in Colorado – Jerone and Rohwer in Arkansas – Minidoka in Idaho – Manzanar and Tule Lake in California – Heart Mount in Wyoming

20. Japanese Experience: Internment Internees assigned to barracks divided into 4-6 rooms with one family per room (about 20x20).

21. Japanese Experience: Internment – 7 AM wake up siren blast – Breakfast in cafeteria – Children go to school (salute flag and sing my country tis of thee) – Parents went to work as govt employees in camp ($12/month) as unskilled workers or skilled workers ($16/month) or professionals ($19/month) – Had dignity destroyed. Changed their way of life. Families didn’t eat together and young couples saw no future so they didn’t procreate.

22. Japanese Experience: Internment October 1942, the Office of War Information urged FDR to authorize the enlistment of the Nissei. The OWI claimed that enlisting the Nissei could counter Japanese propaganda.

23. Japanese Experience: Internment Feb 1, 1943 FDR states: “No loyal citizen of the US should be denied the democratic right to exercise the responsibilities of his citizenship regardless of ancestry.” Contradiction?

24. Japanese Experience: Internment Feb 6, 1943 internees forced to answer loyalty questions Many did not want to serve because they were protesting internment.

25. Japanese Experience: Internment Only recruited 1,208 volunteers out of 10,000 eligible Nissei. Govt repressed protests and arrested resistance leaders for violation of Selective Service Act. Sadly, found guilty and sentenced to the Penitentiary. Imprisoned with hardened criminals.

26. Japanese Experience: Internment Many joined to avoid jail time. Believed they were fulfilling obligations as citizens Showing loyalty to end internment

27. Japanese Experience: Afterwards Bravery was recognized but still discrimination Hawaiians returned to their lives Before war ended, War Relocation Authority began to close camps Returned home saw signs: “No Japs Allowed” and “No Japs Welcome.” Their homes were damages and fields were ruined.

28. Filipino Experience: The War 7 hours after Pearl Harbor- Japan invades the Bataan Peninsula American and Filipino forces unite-

29. Filipino Experience: The War Eleanor Roosevelt: Americans respected them for their bravery and courage in the battle

30. Filipino Experience: Over There Filipino Americans worried about their relatives left behind and rushed to recruitment offices Were rejected

31. Filipino Experience: Over There Feb. 19, 1942: Sec. of War Stimson organized: Japan’s invasion was personal and they were eager to fight

32. Filipino Experience: Same old same old Despite their bravery, they were still treated like strangers

33. Filipino Experience: Win Win As members of the US Armed Forces: California Attorney General:

34. Filipino Experience: Win Win Discrimination against the Japanese was good for the Filipinos Americans saw the Filipinos as more like them:

35. Filipino Experience: Win Win 1941 Executive Order 8802 America wants to show how democratic and different they were: War created many jobs for Filipinos 1945 Congress passed a law:

36. Filipino Experience: Win Win War forced Filipinos to decide: Many chose to stay: “But citizenship does not equal acceptance”

37. Korean Experience: Korean Patriots – They welcomed the war because it could free Korea from Japanese occupation Before Pearl Harbor, Syngman Rhee:

38. Korean Experience: Wrong Definition When the Japanese were sent to internment camps, many Koreans moved in but were met with “Japs Go Home” signs. 1940 Alien Registration Act classified Korean immigrants as subjects of Japan

39. Korean Experience: The War Effort – Many were anxious to participate in the war effort against Japan.

40. Korean Experience: The War Effort California National Guard organized a Korean unit called: Korean women: Korean involvement generated white-American respect.

41. Korean Experience: The War Effort 1944 Hawaii territorial delegate Joseph R. Farrington introduces:

42. Asian Indian Experience: Before the War Great Depression: 1939 a bill is introduced to provide citizenship to all Asian Indian immigrants in residence since 1924. Paul Scharrenberg (American Federation of Labor): August 1941:

43. Asian Indian Experience: War Time – US saw India was necessary to fight Japan. Japan could take advantage of British hatred and use them to help the Axis cause March 1944:

44. Asian Indian Experience: War Time New York Congressman Emmanuel Cellar: The US: 1946:

45. Chinese Experience: USA’s BFF Dec 8, 1941: Dec 22, Time Magazine published an article explaining how to tell the difference between a Chinese “friend” and a Japanese “enemy.”

46. Chinese Experience: USA’s BFF – Before war, many supported China against Japanese imperialism.

47. Chinese Experience: Unfair Still denied citizenship and exclusion laws still existed

48. Chinese Experience: Unfair 1942 California League of Women Voters of San Francisco launched: 1943 Congress considered bill:

49. Chinese Experience: Legislation Madame Chiang Kai-Shek:

50. Chinese Experience: Legislation Oct. 11, 1943: Asia for Asiatics: Defeat of the bill would give Japan fodder for anti-America campaign.

51. Chinese Experience: Legislation 1943 after Congressional hearings: