Japanese Internment
James Stewart
History
Japanese Internment
Many Japanese-Americans in America were relocated to relocation centers during the Second World War following the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941. West Coast politicians called for the relocation of the Japanese American citizens from the places that were considered crucial for the United States defense. Once they were removed from their homes, the US government sent them to the camps in the West (Fox, 1988 & Shaffer, 1999). Which factors contributed to Japanese internment and how was the experience in the camps? The purpose of this manuscript is to explore the factors associated with the Japanese internment and its connection with racial discrimination and …show more content…
Immediately after the attack, anyone suspected to have ties to Japan was arrested and taken to assembly and relocation centers. They were given a short notice that forced them to abandon their businesses and homes and move to relocation camps that were in remote areas. Two-thirds of the Japanese interned were American citizens from West Coast. In 1942 February General John DeWitt, the commander of the West Coast military ordered the relocation of all the Japanese-Americans from the West Coast on racial grounds to internment camps. Japanese race was seen as a threat to the security of US. Immediately after the Japanese Americans were ordered to leave their homes, they were first taken to the assembly centers in remote areas. Later Japanese Americans were taken to internment camps where they were under the military confinement. Some people opposed the government decision and made efforts to protect the civil rights of the Japanese Americans in the relocation camps. The fight against the internment was among African American activists, white liberals, and religious …show more content…
The event illustrates the struggle of racial minorities for social equality and civil rights. The poor conditions in the residential camps reveal the violation of Japanese American rights and inequality on racial grounds during internment. Shaffer (1999) asserts that the internment camps were located in remote and inhospitable areas and the individuals were under military confinement with no freedom of movement. During internment, Japanese Americans were robbed of their civil rights. The conditions were inhospitable because they were built in mountainous and desert areas where they interned Japanese Americans encountered many challenges. They were under war relocation authority confinement, and there was a shortage of all kind of aids including medical care and