Japanese Americans During Ww2 Essay

Japanese-Americans were interned during World War II because after the bombing at Pearl Harbor in 1941, the majority of Americans used their fear of another Japanese attack to display an extreme level of prejudice. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed and issued Executive Order 9066. This order called for the clearing and deportation of all Japanese Americans from military areas. According to Black, it was the Japanese citizens’ responsibility to follow the exclusion order since it would almost guarantee the safety of those who were not Japanese. Black then continues to brush off the accusation that Korematsu’s case makes him the victim of racial prejudice and claims it was solely based on the fact that the United States was at war with Japan, and that they did not want to overlook anything, or anyone, that might jeopardize the nation’s security (Document C). Americans felt the need to take every security measure possible, even if it included interning an entire race, if something seemed to threaten their livelihood. Those who agreed with Black did not want to risk another Japanese attack, or any event of sabotage, that may have occurred if they were to let any …show more content…
In War Activities Committee Newsreel, the War Activities Committee highlights the uncertainty of what would happen if the Japanese were to execute another attack. They questioned whether or not the “loyal” Japanese would remain loyal, or move stake their claim on Japan. However, the newsreel loses its credibility when it inaccurately displays the process of bringing the citizens into internment. The people are shown to be cooperative, willing, and happy to oblige with the military officers. In reality, soldiers forced them out of their homes, rounded them up, and pointed machine guns at the internees, as if they posed an immediate