Japanese American Concentration Camps
WW2 had began on September 18, 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria. World War 2 was not officially initiated until German Nazi’s invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. America did not get involved in the war until December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, war was not declared on Japan until the following day. December 11, 1941 Germany declared war on the United States. The war was now in full force, with America raging war against the Japanese and the German Nazi’s.
Back home in America, they to were taking action to protect their homeland. In February of 1942, President Roosevelt signed an executive order to relocate all Japanese Americans. This occurred because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Many feared that the Japanese were attempting to “Remain loyal to their homeland” and were acting as spies. Even without concrete evidence, President Roosevelt signed for them to be relocated.
These camps were still located on American soil and were not death camps. The camps were concentration camps, a place where they go to basically do hard labor all day. Many Japanese American families sold their homes and assets, there was no guarantee that their lives would continue as normal upon their return. Their homes sold for fractions of the price they were actually worth, even Japanese vets of WW1 were forced to leave their homes and assets behind. It did not matter if the families were born and raised in America and had never been to Japan, the fear of an invasion was to great to allow a possible security issue be lose.
Until the camps were finished the Japanese Americans were held in stables at local racing tracks. Ten camps were completed and the camps were built in remote areas of seven western states : Arkansas, California, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. The housing was poor, Tarpaper Barracks were the housing for the Japanese. There were communal mess halls for family to dine with one another, the children had to attend school and the adults had the option to work
Back home in America, they to were taking action to protect their homeland. In February of 1942, President Roosevelt signed an executive order to relocate all Japanese Americans. This occurred because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Many feared that the Japanese were attempting to “Remain loyal to their homeland” and were acting as spies. Even without concrete evidence, President Roosevelt signed for them to be relocated.
These camps were still located on American soil and were not death camps. The camps were concentration camps, a place where they go to basically do hard labor all day. Many Japanese American families sold their homes and assets, there was no guarantee that their lives would continue as normal upon their return. Their homes sold for fractions of the price they were actually worth, even Japanese vets of WW1 were forced to leave their homes and assets behind. It did not matter if the families were born and raised in America and had never been to Japan, the fear of an invasion was to great to allow a possible security issue be lose.
Until the camps were finished the Japanese Americans were held in stables at local racing tracks. Ten camps were completed and the camps were built in remote areas of seven western states : Arkansas, California, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. The housing was poor, Tarpaper Barracks were the housing for the Japanese. There were communal mess halls for family to dine with one another, the children had to attend school and the adults had the option to work