The decision to imprison Japanese Americans was a popular one in 1942. It was supported not only by the government, but it was also called for by the press and the people. In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, Japan was the enemy. Many Americans believed that people of Japanese Ancestry were potential spies and saboteurs, intent on helping their mother country to win World War II. “The Japanese race is an enemy race,” General John DeWitt, head of the Western Defense Command wrote in February 1942. “And while many second and third generation Japanese born in the United States soil, possessed of United States citizenship, have become ‘Americanized,’ the racial strains are
In the early morning on December 7th, 1941, Japan held a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, causing the death of 2,000 American Soldiers and Sailors. On this morning there was also tremendous amounts of damage to the United States Military, For example: the Japanese destroyed 20 American Naval Vessels, eight battleships, and 300 airplanes. It also caused the United States to enter World War ii along with Germany, Italy, and Japan. The motivation for the bombing of Pearl Harbor was how the Japanese wanted to destroy our oil and fuel facilities, and trap our military. The internment of Japanese Americans after the bombing at Pearl Harbor, was justified because internment camps were constitutional, it was a necessary form of protection to ease the hysteria of the country, and Japanese Americans should have been willing to make the sacrifice to benefit the welfare of the country during the war.
442 was consisted of all Japanese Americans, who volunteered to fight in the World War II. For about 14,000 young men served in 442. Being 5’7”, 5’8” tall they served in Europe, not worse, and most of the times even better than professional battalions. These small people are big heroes, who were fighting for the people, who called them “enemy aliens”, and for their country, the United States . The Unit of 442nd Regimental Combat Team became the most highly decorated regiment in the history of the United States armed forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients, approximately 9,500 Purple Hearts, 8 Presidential Unit Citations, 4,00 Bronze Stars, and many many more. Its motto was strong and powerful- “Go For
When Pearl Harbor was hit they removed 5,000 Japanese-Americans from the U.S. army on December, 19412. They army took away Japanese-American rights as citizens, by not allowing them to be apart of the United States Army. The selective services renamed them “enemy aliens” and stopped the draft of Japanese-American citizens. Military officials denied Japanese-Americans citizenships. December 7th, 19412, FBI arrested selected Japanese-American nationals on the West coast, they never returned home. They never got to say goodbye to their family until after six years, when the war was over.
Between 1942 and 1945, thousands of Japanese Americans, regardless of United States citizenship status, received orders to evacuate their homes and businesses. Sparked by rising fear amongst the American people after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a Naval base in Hawaii, the U.S. government relocated Japanese Americans to remote areas on the West Coast and in the south, isolating them in internment camps. With no actual evidence supporting the creation of internment camps, the U.S. interned Japanese Americans because of Japanese involvement in Pearl Harbor resulting in a rise of anti-Japanese paranoia sparked by the economic success of Japanese Americans, increased fear and prejudice within the United States government and amongst citizens,
America is known as a country of immigrants. Year after year, more people leave their countries to come to America. The Japanese were an example of one of these people. Like other immigrants, the Japanese were seeking a better life in America. The Japanese Americans were treated differently than others. They faced harsh discrimination and were despised by many. During World War I, America was fighting against the Axis powers. The Axis powers consisted of Germany, Japan, and Italy. On December 7th, 1941, Japan bombed the U.S. naval base, Pearl Harbor. The bombing of Pearl Harbor led to the suspicion of the Japanese Americans that gave way to America making the rash decision of Japanese American internment. The decision to imprison thousands
The surprise bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy shook the United States at its core, and challenged how this nation would treat to its own citizens who shared ancestry with the enemy forces. The U.S. government believed that the Japanese Americans could be loyal to their ancestral homeland and can assist the Japanese forces on potential attacks on American soil. Japanese Americans were considered “potential enemies”, and having them at critical areas like the west coast was considered too great of a threat on national security. In order to contain that threat, the U.S. government planned to relocate Japanese Americans inland, to remote and abandoned areas in Arizona, Utah, and other inland states. In the height of WW2 and Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued the Executive Order No. 9006. This policy led to the relocation and incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, including Yoshiko Uchida and her family, under the pretense of “military necessity”. (Lee, 211) Families were forced to abandon their home and uprooted from their normal American lives. During the whole ordeal, Japanese Americans were denied their constitutional rights and became prisoners for being Japanese. The incarceration of Japanese Americans was under the pretense of “military necessity”. The real rationalization
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, in the United States Territory of Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941 (History.com)Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which permitted the military to circumvent the constitutional safeguards of American citizens in the name of national defense (Michi Weglyn). Between 1942 and 1945, the U.S. government forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans from their homes, farms, schools, jobs and businesses, in violation of their constitutional civil rights and liberties. (momomedia.com)On the West Coast, a hysteria
Almost immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor tension was created between Japanese-American Citizens and the U.S. government. Internment camps were set up across the nation to stand as a new home for these Japanese-American citizens. Japanese with as little as 1/6th blood relation were given only one week to pack their things and settle all affairs. (PBS.org). Children were to be drawn out of school, jobs had to be left immediately, and any belongings left behind would be sold cheaply to the public. Some Japanese-American families saw that they would be forced into internment camps, and chose to leave the West Coast voluntarily before being forced too (From Citizen to Enemy). These American citizens were suddenly being treated as a major threat to their own country. Not all relationships between the Japanese and the rest of the U.S. population were this bad though. Many citizens were very close with the Japanese who were being forced into internment all around them, and they tried to help in any ways that they could. This aftermath of Pearl Harbor had devastating affects on the Japanese-American population that would last for centuries, and the U.S. government has made numerous steps to try and apologize for the horrific mistake that was made years ago. Although this time was a very sad and confusing
After the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, United States officials believed that have Japanese- American citizens posed a security threat. Since there was a great deal of Japanese-American citizens living on the west coast, fear of attack within the nation spread like wildfire. As a result, these people were wrongly imprisoned in a similar fashion to Hitler's concentration camps. Although the camps were not as brutal, the prisoners were given only the necessities. To the families that were imprisoned, internment meant the false accusation of being a terrorist. It also meant that they would be stripped of their rights while detained, and also stripped of their dignity when eventually released. Eventually, the Supreme Court decided
Additionally, the attack on Pearl Harbor impacted the people living in America, especially the Japanese Americans. For example, there were rumors in January of 1942 that the Japanese Americans in America would be imprisoned in concentration camps. According to the article “Japanese Americans”, some whites were motivated to get the Japanese Americans imprisoned because of economic self-interest. Others were motivated because they wanted to ruin the Japanese Americans businesses (“Japanese Americans”). According to the article “Relocation Camps”, an abundance of west coast civilians
December 7, 1941, Japan performed a surprise attack on America at Pearl Harbor. "According to Japanese feudal code of honor, the idea of a surprise is recommended and it raises no moral problems" (Sulzberger 146). During Japan's attack, they broke the seal of trust. "Japan's Ambassador and Diplomatic agent were in Washington pretending to have been seeking a negotiated settlement between the two countries" (Sulzberger 146). America lost over 3,000 service men from this bombing. This type of betrayal could only cause anger and determination to strike back.
When the war was over there were people and signs saying remember “Pearl Harbor.” The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt told Congress to declare war on Japan. Three days after the U.S. declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. After more than two years of conflict, the U.S. joined World War II. After the attack, 3,851 people were listed as dead or injured. After the war the Americans were fine, but the Japanese Americans were singled out as traitors. The Japanese Americans couldn’t own homes, land, or buy food. People all over the U.S. said the Japanese were an enemy race. All Japanese Americans had to be relocated. An FBI director said that not all Japanese Americans should
When discussing the hierarchy of the army, they ultimately come to a conclusion that can be applied to the world and modern society. Kat, a very experienced soldier, said this quote in a speech. In Kat’s speech, he eventually comes to the conclusion that “one man must always have power over another”; this quotation also includes Kat saying “The army is based on that” explaining the ultimate conclusion was explaining a part of the army’s system (Remarque 44). Even though Kat was only talking about the army, the statement can be applied to the world. “There’s always someone better than you” this is a saying that many people have heard before and will hear time and time again. It being repeated is due to the truth in it; no matter what, there
December 7, 1941 was a day that changed history. The Japanese launched an attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States Pacific fleet. This attack not only brought the United States into World War II, but also sparked fear into the citizens of America. Even as American soldiers fought to free the Jewish people from Nazi concentration camps, Japanese Americans were being put into similar camps right on American soil.