Japanese American Internment

Definition

Japanese American internment refers to the forced relocation and incarceration of around 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were U.S. citizens, during World War II. This was a result of fear and prejudice following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, leading to the establishment of internment camps where families lived under strict military guard, facing significant loss of property and freedom.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Internment affected people of Japanese descent regardless of their citizenship status, with over two-thirds being U.S. citizens.
2. Internment camps were located primarily in remote areas of the Western United States, often in harsh environments with limited resources.
3. Many Japanese Americans lost their homes, businesses, and savings as a result of being interned, leading to lasting economic hardships.
4. The internment was justified at the time by U.S. government officials as a national security measure, despite lacking evidence of disloyalty among Japanese Americans.
5. In 1944, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of internment in the case Korematsu v. United States, a decision that has since been widely criticized and repudiated.

Review Questions

• What were the main reasons behind the U.S. government's decision to implement Japanese American internment during World War II?
  • The U.S. government's decision to implement Japanese American internment was primarily driven by fear and prejudice following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Officials believed that individuals of Japanese descent posed a potential security threat due to their ethnic background, despite a lack of evidence supporting claims of disloyalty. This fear led to widespread hysteria and ultimately resulted in Executive Order 9066, which authorized the removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans.
• How did the living conditions in internment camps affect the daily lives of Japanese Americans during World War II?
  • Living conditions in internment camps were often harsh and cramped, with families forced into small barracks with limited privacy. The camps were located in remote areas with little access to resources or healthcare, impacting the physical and mental well-being of the internees. Additionally, many faced loss of property and livelihoods, creating significant emotional distress and challenges in maintaining family structures amidst this upheaval.
• Evaluate the long-term impacts of Japanese American internment on individuals and communities, and how this historical event is remembered today.
  • The long-term impacts of Japanese American internment included deep psychological scars, loss of trust in government institutions, and significant economic challenges due to property loss. The event is remembered today as a stark example of racial prejudice and violation of civil liberties in American history. Efforts like the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 represent attempts to acknowledge these injustices, provide reparations, and educate future generations about the importance of protecting civil rights for all individuals, regardless of their background.

Related terms

Executive Order 9066: An order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in February 1942 that authorized the forced removal of Japanese Americans from the West Coast to internment camps.

Internment Camps: Facilities where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and detained during World War II, often under poor living conditions and without due process.

Civil Liberties Act of 1988: A U.S. federal law that formally acknowledged the injustices of Japanese American internment and provided reparations to surviving internees.