Explain the rationale for the internment of Japanese-American civilians in camps during World War II. Research and discuss the arguments in the Korematsu v. the United States case that went up through the high courts. (See the text, p. 696.)
In 1941 the United States was on a slow recovery from the worst economic catastrophe in the nation’s history, The Great Depression. Additionally, European nations were once again engaged in a deadly war over expansion, power, and natural resources that would be later titled World War 11. On one side were the fascist nations Italy, Germany, and Japan and on the other side Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and later the United States. Prior to its entry into the war, the United States’ government remained …show more content…
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States’ government feared espionage and sabotage from individuals of Japanese descent. The real reason, however, behind the Executive Order 9066 was war time hysteria. During the great depression white citizens despised minorities and immigrants, some blaming the depression on them. Consequently, the bombing of Pearl Harbor led to outright hatred of the Japanese Americans with citizens calling for their evacuation. By the beginning of 1942 Anti-Japanese paranoia had spread all over the United States gaining support from a majority of its citizens. Internment camps were located in the deserted areas of the west and Midwest states of Arizona, California, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming. Here, Japanese Americans were forced to live their lives in fear and hardship (The University of …show more content…
Fred Korematsu, an American born citizen of Japanese descent, defied court orders by refusing to leave his home in San Leandro, California. Korematsu was arrested and his appeal made it to the United States Supreme Court. Fuelled by racial bias and anti-Japanese paranoia the court argued that some Japanese loyalty resided in their ancestral home and since it was impossible to tell who was loyal to the United States and who wasn’t all Japanese residing in the United States should be evicted to internment camps. Furthermore, the courts determined national security out weighted the constitutional right of its citizens. Korematsu’s defence argued that Korematsu did not commit a crime and that internment camps were “a euphemism for prison.” In his closing areguements, Korematsu’s defence stated the detainment of Japanese American was based on the “the disinformation, half-truths and insinuations that for years have been directed against Japanese Americans by people with racial and economic prejudices" (Konkoly) Unfortunately the supreme court upheld Korematsu’s conviction placing national security over liberty
In 1941 the United States was on a slow recovery from the worst economic catastrophe in the nation’s history, The Great Depression. Additionally, European nations were once again engaged in a deadly war over expansion, power, and natural resources that would be later titled World War 11. On one side were the fascist nations Italy, Germany, and Japan and on the other side Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and later the United States. Prior to its entry into the war, the United States’ government remained …show more content…
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States’ government feared espionage and sabotage from individuals of Japanese descent. The real reason, however, behind the Executive Order 9066 was war time hysteria. During the great depression white citizens despised minorities and immigrants, some blaming the depression on them. Consequently, the bombing of Pearl Harbor led to outright hatred of the Japanese Americans with citizens calling for their evacuation. By the beginning of 1942 Anti-Japanese paranoia had spread all over the United States gaining support from a majority of its citizens. Internment camps were located in the deserted areas of the west and Midwest states of Arizona, California, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming. Here, Japanese Americans were forced to live their lives in fear and hardship (The University of …show more content…
Fred Korematsu, an American born citizen of Japanese descent, defied court orders by refusing to leave his home in San Leandro, California. Korematsu was arrested and his appeal made it to the United States Supreme Court. Fuelled by racial bias and anti-Japanese paranoia the court argued that some Japanese loyalty resided in their ancestral home and since it was impossible to tell who was loyal to the United States and who wasn’t all Japanese residing in the United States should be evicted to internment camps. Furthermore, the courts determined national security out weighted the constitutional right of its citizens. Korematsu’s defence argued that Korematsu did not commit a crime and that internment camps were “a euphemism for prison.” In his closing areguements, Korematsu’s defence stated the detainment of Japanese American was based on the “the disinformation, half-truths and insinuations that for years have been directed against Japanese Americans by people with racial and economic prejudices" (Konkoly) Unfortunately the supreme court upheld Korematsu’s conviction placing national security over liberty