II. Japanese Internment Camps during WWII It is estimated that around 120,000 Japanese in the United States were held in internment camps during WWII after U.S conflict with Japan grew (Onishi 1). Japanese-Americans were forced to take a test which asked them to pledge their loyalty with the United States, cut ties to Japan, and asked if they would pledge service to the United States military. An answer of “no” to any of the questions would result in the person being labeled as disloyal (Onishi 2). Japanese to avoid the worse concentration camps would have to pledge loyalty to a country that did not treat them equally over a large part of United States history. Many Japanese people in the United States still had family in Japan or were born
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Many Japanese were also barred from traveling to certain locations because they were guarded off by the military (Caylor 2). The same idea as what was happening to Jewish people in Germany under the Nazi regime. Japanese were forced into certain areas, like pogroms and were forced to stay in these areas, which restricted Japanese’s ability to live a normal life. Many politicians wanted “No Japanese- except in internment camps” showing how prevalent racism towards Japanese was present in the United States government and these people being elected shows the racism of the people of the United States towards Japanese (Caylor 2). Such a large number of Japanese were excluded or moved, mostly in the west coast of the United States, that it had many consequences to the Japanese that were forced to move and also the people who were living in the areas where many Japanese were forced to internment camps or were excluded (Caylor 7). There were schools that would close at earlier times so that students could work on the fields that were left behind by the Japanese that typically worked on these fields (Caylor 8). Seventy million dollars of land was left by the removed Japanese that needed to be worked on, so the land’s resources would not be wasted (Caylor 7). Many industries and certain types of work, such as gardening, was damaged greatly by the removal of Japanese (Caylor 8). Japanese gardeners were responsible for 40 to 50 farms each (Caylor 8). Students that were of Japanese descent were also removed from college along the west coast (approximately 400 students) (Caylor 6). This was unfair to many students who worked very hard to go to school and to the families of the students who may also be paying for their children to go to college. Internment camps and forcing students to be put into them may
Many Japanese were also barred from traveling to certain locations because they were guarded off by the military (Caylor 2). The same idea as what was happening to Jewish people in Germany under the Nazi regime. Japanese were forced into certain areas, like pogroms and were forced to stay in these areas, which restricted Japanese’s ability to live a normal life. Many politicians wanted “No Japanese- except in internment camps” showing how prevalent racism towards Japanese was present in the United States government and these people being elected shows the racism of the people of the United States towards Japanese (Caylor 2). Such a large number of Japanese were excluded or moved, mostly in the west coast of the United States, that it had many consequences to the Japanese that were forced to move and also the people who were living in the areas where many Japanese were forced to internment camps or were excluded (Caylor 7). There were schools that would close at earlier times so that students could work on the fields that were left behind by the Japanese that typically worked on these fields (Caylor 8). Seventy million dollars of land was left by the removed Japanese that needed to be worked on, so the land’s resources would not be wasted (Caylor 7). Many industries and certain types of work, such as gardening, was damaged greatly by the removal of Japanese (Caylor 8). Japanese gardeners were responsible for 40 to 50 farms each (Caylor 8). Students that were of Japanese descent were also removed from college along the west coast (approximately 400 students) (Caylor 6). This was unfair to many students who worked very hard to go to school and to the families of the students who may also be paying for their children to go to college. Internment camps and forcing students to be put into them may