442nd Regimental Combat Team Analysis

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the internment of Japanese Americans on the West coast of the United States. On going tension between the United States and Japan rose in the 1930’s due to Japan’s increasing power and because of this tension the bombing at Pearl Harbor occurred. This event then led the United States to join World War II. However it was the Executive Order of 9066 that officially led to the internment of Japanese Americans. Japanese Americans, some legal and illegal residents, were moved into internment camps between 1942-1946. The internment of Japanese Americans affected not only these citizens but the

Roger Daniels’ book Prisoners without Trial is another book that describes the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. This piece discusses about the background that led up to the internment, the internment itself, and what happened afterwards. The internment and relocation of Japanese-Americans during World War II was an injustice prompted by political and racial motivations. The author’s purpose of this volume is to discuss the story in light of the redress and reparation legislation enacted in 1988. Even though Daniels gives first hand accounts of the internment of Japanese Americans in his book, the author is lacking adequate citations and provocative quotations. It’s

The 442 restored their honor. They returned home heros of war and were looked at differently by all Americans, not as aliens, but as United States citizens. They became the most decorated combat team in U.S. history and freed their families from internment camps restoring honor. “The 100th Battalion/442nd RCT, in just over one year, compiled an astonishing combat record. But this segregated unit, almost entirely comprised of Japanese Americans, suffered an equally remarkable number, about 800, killed or missing in action. They won seven Distinguished Unit Citations, including one awarded personally by President Harry Truman… Over 4,000 Purple Hearts, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 588 Silver Stars, and more than 4,000 Bronze

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was a segregated U.S. Army. They fought in World War II. It was made up of Japanese Americans that were from the Mainland and Hawaii. The men from Mainland thought that the Hawaiians didn’t speak English very well. There was a conflict between both groups and got sent to a detention camp. The 442nd learned about teamwork very fast. They decided they would complete every assignment that came their way. Frank Hachiya wrote a letter to his 8th grade teacher before he was killed. In addition, he talked about all his regrets in life and how he wasted most of his time. At his funeral, his teacher read the letter.

Finally, while many Americans of Japanese descent were being gathered into detention centers, others were fighting overseas. Over 30,000 Japanese Americans fought in World War II and these soldiers earned many medals and awards, even the Congressional Medal of Honor, while in service for the United States.

In February of 1942, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066; this gave the foundation for the mass relocation of more than 110,000 persons of Japanese ancestry to internment camps. This mass relocation caused Japanese Americans -on the West Coast- to be removed from their homes for the majority of World War II. After a year of surviving in addition to waiting in the camps, the Japanese Nisei were allowed to join the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Making up the entirety of the regiment, the Japanese Nisei fought for their country during the events of World War II. During these events, the Japanese Nisei compromised their self-pride along with their lives for their country. Notwithstanding the fact of facing the battle on two fronts -the prejudice at home plus the fight on the enemy’s front- the Japanese Nisei of the 442nd RCT (Regimental Combat Team) came back from the war as Japanese American citizens, not “Japs.”

The issues of Japanese-American internment camps is one of the most controversial, yet important time periods of American history. Many have asked: Why should we learn about this event? The event of Japanese-American internment camps has changed the way America and its citizens are looked upon. As Americans, this event is important to learn so that an injustice like this will never happen again in our history. This event has helped many people gain more rights and civil liberties. This event has also helped other groups fight for their rights and freedoms. Although this event had caused fear and pain, it had changed America and its treatment toward citizens of different descents and ethic backgrounds.

During World War II, thousands of POWs experienced isolation and dehumanization in an Japanesethe attemptefforts of the Japanese to make them feel invisible. In Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, American POW and former Olympic runner Louis “Louie” Zamperini rwas just one of the many soldiers who was dehumanized while in Japanese

Following the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, racial tensions increased in the United States, especially on the West Coast (Divine 898). The anti-Japanese sentiment led to President Franklin Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, which gave military officials the power to limit the civil rights of Japanese Americans (Danzer 802). The order also authorized the forced relocation of all Japanese Americans to concentration camps (Divine 898). These camps were located in desolate deserts and flatlands in the interior of the United States (Sato 67). Two thirds of the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were forced to relocate were “Nisei”, or native born American citizens (Divine 898).

officials eventually began to recruit these internees into the American army. Not only was WWII a war about political alliances and geographical sovereignty, but it was also a war about race and racial superiority throughout the world. Propagating this idea, Dower (1986) argues, “World War Two contributed immeasurably not only to a sharpened awareness of racism within the United States, but also to more radical demands and militant tactics on the part of the victims of discrimination” (War Without Mercy: p.5). In elucidating the racial motivations and fallout from WWII, Dower helps one realize the critical role that race and racial politics played during the war and are still at play in our contemporary world. An analysis of this internment process reveals how the ultimate goal of the U.S. internment of Japanese Americans and the United States’ subsequent occupation of Japan was to essentially “brainwash” the Japanese race into demonstrating allegiance to America.

After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese that propelled the U.S. into World War II, paranoia causes President Roosevelt to sign an executive order forcing all people of Japanese ancestry; including those born in the U.S. to be moved to concentration camps. Even in the towns where the camps were located, stores would post signs saying “No Japs Allowed”.

In 1942, when US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued “Executive Order 9066,” many Japanese-American families had to leave their homes, jobs, and daily life routines to relocate to internment camps, where conditions were harsh. Shirley Ann Higuchi, writer of “Opinion: Japanese Internment Scar Still Pains Families and Descendants,” published in 2017 in the Mercury News, and she narrates the situation her grandparents, uncles and aunts faced during the relocation, and how they suffered. Higuchi starts building her article by describing the Santa Clara Valley hospital, how it used to belong to her family, and mentions a few details about her family. Secondly, she describes how her family had to leave everything in a short period of time,

The United States of America a nation known for allowing freedom, equality, justice, and most of all a chance for immigrants to attain the American dream. However, that “America” was hardly recognizable during the 1940’s when President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, ordering 120,000 Japanese Americans to be relocated to internment camps. As for the aftermath, little is known beyond the historical documents and stories from those affected. Through John Okada’s novel, No-No Boy, a closer picture of the aftermath of the internment is shown through the events of the protagonist, Ichiro. It provides a more human perspective that is filled with emotions and connections that are unattainable from an ordinary historical document.

Loyal Japanese Americans were a beneficial resource that was undervalued by the US. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was one example of a group of patriotic Japanese Americans, however there were thousands more that were unable to fight in the military. Japanese internment was an ineffective wartime measure because it did not take advantage of the loyalty of Japanese

African Americans were discriminated against even though they were serving their country. Like we discussed in class, some African Americans were lynched in public while dressed in their military uniform. Many were severely beaten almost to death. They were treated with no respect. As I looked through my notes I found that African Americans were grouped together in combat and often were given missions that could have been considered suicidal. Although the blacks were treated poorly, it seems that the Japanese Americans got the raw end of the deal during the war.