Japanese Internment During Wor Essay, Research Paper
In May of 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order
9066, which called for the eviction and internment of all Japanese Americans.
After Pearl Harbor, all Japanese were looked upon as being a threat to
America. The interments began in April of 1942. The Japanese-Americans were
transported on buses and trains to camps in California. They were always
under military guard. The Japanese-Americans were housed in livestock stalls
in the beginning, or in windowless shacks that were crowded and lacked
sufficient ventilation, electricity and sanitation facilities. All these
actions taken have often been controversial, arguing whether this course of
actions was proper. The fact of the matter has been that these innocent
Japanese Americans living in California or any other state were taken away
their Civil Rights as stated in the United States Constitution under
Amendment number four.
These Japanese Americans came to the United States in hope of a new and
peaceful life, yet what they received was nothing of this sort. The Japanese
were taken away all their rights even if one was a naturalized citizen. Under
Executive order 9066 all persons of Japanese ancestry shall be excluded from
area which are inhabiting. Many innocent Japanese families were broken apart
and sent to internment camps located throughout California and other states
near by. Innocent hard working Japanese were taken prisoner just because of
their looks. Many who were captured and sent to internment camps were not of
any Japanese descent, but because of the way that person looked they were
sent to camps.
These people imprisoned were not given any trials or fair due process of
law. All Japanese people’s
or reason, only because were Japanese. Many were imprisoned because of items
found at their homes, which were considered a threat. Items such as kitchen
silver ware, cooking knives, screw drivers or any other ordinary house hold
item that could be considered a threat according to police or army. All
Japanese who encountered this harsh event could do nothing but obey, for if
one should disobey the consequences would be severe.
Japanese Americans not only suffered racism from the police and army but
from society as well. Many stores and businesses thought now excluded the
Japanese as customers. Barbershops, bars, movies, produce markets, and all
were now forbidden to any Japanese Americans. Society now thought of the
Japanese as in the ranks of dogs. In several stores in order to show their
hatred against these Japanese people, store clerks would post a sign that
read, “No Dogs, No Japanese.”
The racism that occurred to these Japanese American people were all a
result of the Executive order that Franklin D. Roosevelt signed. When
Roosevelt issued this order, he not only took away all Japanese American’s
hopes and dreams of a peaceful life but also their civil rights; Life,
Liberty, and property. Japanese were given no say so in the matter and were
treated with the utterly most disrespect. America accused these innocent
Japanese people of helping Japan in the war some way. These people were taken
away their rights because of their race, not because of broken laws. The acts
of military tactics done on the Japanese were a response to the bombing of
Pearl Harbor. Although many lives were lost in the bombing of Pearl Harbor,
innocent Japanese Americans did not have to be the victims at the end.