The Japanese Relocation Miss Springborn Page 29 in your Notes packet

THE JAPANESE RELOCATION: Due to the attack on PEARL HARBOR, many Americans were afraid that Japanese-Americans were spies. Most Japanese-Americans lived on the WEST coast, and Americans were afraid that if the Japanese attacked us, these people would help them. So, in 1942, Japanese-Americans were forced into INTERNMENT CAMPS.

THE JAPANESE RELOCATION: In these places, they were closely guarded. They lost their homes and their belongings. Many of them never received any of their property back. They were forced to work in these camps. To the right is a picture of Manzanar in California.

THE JAPANESE RELOCATION: Despite this internment, many Japanese still volunteered for the MILITARY and helped the U.S. in the war effort. Japanese Americans already in the service, like Joe Ichiuji, were kicked out of the military and joined the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were involuntarily removed from their homes and placed in 10 U.S. Army guarded camps located in America’s wasteland. At the same time, the Military Intelligence Service quietly recruited Japanese Americans to serve as translators, interrogators, communication interceptors, and infantrymen to work behind enemy lines to sabotage their operations. In addition, a small but wise group of government officials obtained President Roosevelt’s approval to form an all-volunteer, segregated Japanese American unit for combat in the European Theater. This unit was called the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Eventually, 13,000 Japanese Americans served in the 442nd in Europe and 3,000 served in the Asian Pacific Theaters—many in combat units on the front lines. A total of 33,000 Japanese Americans, men and women, served in the armed forces—many with great distinction. Eight hundred of them made the ultimate sacrifice. We are here to tell you their story.

Video clip from the War Department about Japanese Relocation

George Takei talk about his time in a Relocation Camp

Pat Morita talk about his time in a Relocation Camp

Korematsu vs. United States December 18th, 1944 Balancing Liberty and Safety

Facts about the case FDR signed executive order in February 1942 ALL persons of Japanese ancestry on the west coast must report and be put into relocation camps by the military 120,000 were impacting including 2/3rds of them who were US citizens May 30, 1942, Fred Korematsu was arrested for not reporting and trying to hide He was convicted of not following military orders and sent to a camp in Arizona He decides to sue the US government for unlawfully detaining him and his family when they have committed no crime Supreme Court rules in 1944 that the military was protecting the safety of its citizens so the detentions were allowed

Facts about the case 1983 the case is taken back up and appealed in federal court The court now sides with Korematsu and says the government withheld information in the orginal trial that proved the internment was based on racial bias and that there was evidence that Japanese Americans posed no threat to national security Korematsu’s conviction was thrown out In 1998 he was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor for a non military citizen

Facts about the case Acting to redress what many Americans now regard as a historic injustice, the Senate today voted overwhelmingly to give $20,000 and an apology to each of the Japanese-Americans who were driven from their homes and sent to internment camps in World War II. The vote was 69 to 27 and followed an emotional debate. Apr 21, 1988.