Japanese American Internment

Definition

Japanese American internment refers to the forced relocation and confinement of around 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were U.S. citizens, during World War II. This action was a manifestation of wartime prejudice and discrimination, driven by fears of espionage and racial stereotypes in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Most of those interned were Japanese Americans from the West Coast, with over two-thirds being U.S. citizens.
2. Internment camps were established across the U.S., including locations such as Manzanar and Tule Lake, often lacking basic amenities.
3. The justification for internment was based largely on unfounded fears of espionage following the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941.
4. Japanese Americans faced significant loss of property, businesses, and civil rights due to their internment experience.
5. Public opinion about internment shifted over time, leading to official apologies and reparations decades later.

Review Questions

• How did the events surrounding World War II lead to the Japanese American internment, and what were some immediate effects on this community?
  • The attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 sparked widespread fear and suspicion toward Japanese Americans, leading to the belief that they might act as spies or saboteurs. This unfounded fear resulted in Executive Order 9066, which authorized their internment. Immediate effects included the loss of homes, businesses, and freedom for many families, as they were forcibly removed from their communities and placed in camps.
• Discuss how Japanese American internment reflects broader patterns of prejudice and discrimination during wartime periods in American history.
  • Japanese American internment illustrates how fear can drive discriminatory policies against minority groups during wartime. Similar patterns have been observed in other conflicts, where marginalized communities face scapegoating and unjust treatment based on their ethnicity or national origin. The internment serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing fear to override civil liberties and the importance of protecting all citizens' rights.
• Evaluate the long-term impacts of Japanese American internment on civil rights movements in the United States.
  • The injustices faced by Japanese Americans during internment have had lasting implications for civil rights movements in the U.S. This experience highlighted the necessity for legal protections against discrimination based on race or ethnicity. It also fostered a greater awareness of civil liberties, leading to stronger advocacy for minority rights. The eventual reparations through the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 demonstrated a societal acknowledgment of past wrongs and contributed to ongoing discussions about justice and equality for all marginalized groups.

Related terms

Executive Order 9066: The presidential directive signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in February 1942 that authorized the internment of Japanese Americans.

Internment Camps: The facilities where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and confined during World War II, often in remote areas with harsh conditions.

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