Japanese Internment

Executive Order 9066

Camp Locations Why were the camps located in the west?

Rationale   “Real danger would exist for all Japanese if they remained in the combat area. The least act of sabotage might provoke angry reprisals that easily could balloon into bloody race riots.   “We must avoid any chance of that sort of thing. The most sensible, the most humane way to insure against it is to move the Japanese out of harm’s way and make it as easy as possible for them to go and to remain away until the war is over.” The San Francisco News March 6, 1942 Who is Executive Order 9066 really protecting?

*For America’s Protection Many people thought that the Japanese voluntarily evacuated, do you?

Lost Assets Do you think some people took advantage of the situation?

Being Patriotic Could Japanese Americans hope that America won the war?

*Temporary Centers Temporary assembly centers were the first stop for most internees. Internees remained here until the War Relocation Authority camps were ready.

Waiting to Get In

*Panorama of Amache, Colorado From 1942 to 1946, home for most Japanese Americans was one of 10 WRA camps, all patterned on military facilities. Hastily built, with tarpaper walls and no amenities, the barracks were hot in summer and cold in winter. Most did not meet minimal standards for military housing. A visiting judge noted that prisoners in federal penitentiaries were better housed.

High School Football Game "Sports were real important. We'd get up and play basketball, baseball. I was on the basketball team and I helped coach football. I remember we had to buy our own baseballs and basketballs from Sears, and our own uniforms and set up our own league. We had championship playoffs. It's funny, but I think sports were one of the key factors that kept people from going astray, or feeling dissatisfied in camp. If it weren't for those athletic leagues, I think there would have been much more dissension." from a letter

*The Family Barracks “In most ways it was a totally equipped American small town, complete with schools, churches, Boy Scouts, beauty parlors, neighborhood gossip, fire and police departments, glee clubs, softball leagues, Abbott and Costello movies, tennis courts, and traveling shows."

  Syrian Refugees Letter #1   To: Gov. Kate Brown   While I have compassion for the refugees, your primary responsibility is to protect citizens of this state. Since we cannot with any degree of certainty determine if the refugees have ties to ISIS, please reconsider your decision.   If you decide to bring some refugees into Oregon, may I suggest you house them at your residence in Portland versus allowing them to disappear into our neighborhoods?   Mike Kringlen   Sherwood

  Syrian Refugees Letter #2   The U.S. has a long history of welcoming refugees from all corners of the world, regardless of origin; I would certainly encourage continuing this. There have been countless contributions to our country from once-refugee populations. But to ignore current world events by not employing reasonable vetting procedures for anyone coming into the United States is idiotic and simply asking for problems. We can still express our humanitarian tendencies; we just need to be a little more careful.   Otto Semet   Tualatin