It is hard to imagine the harsh treatment of Japanese people, given the fact that they are the third-largest Asian American ethnicity. Unfortunately, government-led discrimination against them occurred less than 100 years ago.
Japanese Americans began emigrating from Japan in 1868, with most settling in Hawaii or on the West Coast. Before the Second World War, they worked as farmers, miners, factory workers, and fishermen, contributing to American society. However, their peaceful lives changed dramatically when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Even before the attack, Japanese Americans were already under suspicion of being potential enemy agents. The attack led to President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066.
This order commanded the exclusion of civilians from military zones, which included the entire West Coast. Although the act did not specify which ethnic group would be affected, Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt of the Western Defense Command implemented a curfew specifically for Japanese Americans. He later promoted voluntary evacuation in certain areas, but only a few followed this directive.
The situation escalated in March 1942. Japanese Americans were now forced to leave their homes with less than 48 hours notice. Failure to comply could result in up to one year in prison and a $5,000 fine. Their homes, properties, and businesses were stripped from them. About 120,000 people were sent to relocation centers, where they were further processed and sent to internment camps. These camps were located in rural mainland areas, isolated from local communities.
The relocation centers, also called internment camps, were far from comfortable. Japanese Americans, now internees, lived in army-style barracks with inadequate supplies. They had to share communal bathrooms with other detainees, and there wasn’t enough hot water. Despite these hardships, people began to form their own culture and community. The internees established schools, workplaces, shrines, and hospitals, and created artwork that expressed their resilience and strength.
As the war ended, Japanese Americans were gradually released from the camps. Some returned to their former homes, while others sought new places to settle. Nevertheless, many of them faced continued discrimination, including violence, crime, and difficulties finding housing. Fortunately, efforts to recognize this tragic part of history have been made in recent years. In 1988, President Reagan formally apologized to the survivors and provided $20,000 in compensation to each one. In 2000, President Clinton declared the preservation of these camps as “powerful reminders that stereotyping, discrimination, hatred, and racism have no place in this country.”
Numerous politicians, regardless of political orientation, have since criticized internment as morally unjustifiable. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Americans faced racial discrimination, including violent hate crimes. Yet, few people seem to recognize its continuity in history. Now that you know about it, it is our responsibility to ensure that it never happens again.
Work Cited
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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/learning/lesson-plans/teaching-japanese-american-inte rnment-using-primary-resources.html
By. Yeseo Kwak