1. Japanese Internment

2. Pearl Harbor’s Impact on the Japanese
Anti-Japanese sentiments have existed in the United States for several decades prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
During that time, more than 119,000 people of Japanese ancestry two- thirds of them American citizens, were living in California, Washington, and Oregon.

3. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order No
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order No in February of
Executive Order No empowered the U.S. Army to designate areas from which "any or all persons may be excluded."

4. Reasons for Japanese Internment
Exist anti-Japanese prejudice on the West Coast
The attack of Pearl Harbor shocked the American public, resulting in widespread hysteria and paranoia.
False belief that Japanese Americans were aiding the enemy

5. Japanese Internment
Those of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast were to be relocated.
Internment refers to the forced imprisonment and relocation of a group of people.

6. Internment
Fear of disloyalty on the part of any Issei or Nisei was common among many Americans.
Issei: those born in Japan, regarded by the U.S. government as ineligible for U.S. citizenship.
Nisei: those born to Japanese parents in the U.S., thus making them U.S. citizens.
1/3 of the population of Hawaii was comprised of those of Japanese descent, thus many of them were not interned, however the islands were placed under martial law.

7. Internment
Japanese assets were frozen after the attack on Pearl Harbor, making it difficult for many Japanese Americans to move from the West Coast.
March 2, 1942
Internment is issued
Gen. John L. DeWitt issues Public Proclamation No. 1 which creates Military Areas Nos. 1 and 2. Military Area No. 1 includes the western portion of California, Oregon and Washington, and part of Arizona. Military Area No. 2 includes the rest of these states. The proclamation also hints that people might be excluded from Military Area No. 1.

9. Timeline
March 18, The president signs Executive Order 9102 establishing the War Relocation Authority (WRA) with Milton Eisenhower as director. It is allocated $5.5 million.
March 21, The first advance groups of Japanese American "volunteers" arrive at Manzanar, CA. The WRA would take over on June 1 and transform it into a "relocation center."

10. Timeline
March 24, The first Civilian Exclusion Order issued by the Army is issued for the Bainbridge Island area near Seattle. The forty-five families there are given one week to prepare. By the end of October, 108 exclusion orders would be issued, and all Japanese Americans in Military Area No. 1 and the California portion of No. 2 would be incarcerated. ( tml) (

11. War Relocation Authority(WRA) Centers

12. Life in Internment Camps
"In the detention centers, families lived in substandard housing, had inadequate nutrition and health care, and had their livelihoods destroyed: many continued to suffer psychologically long after their release" - "Personal Justice Denied: Report of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians"

13. Life in Internment Camps
"In desert camps, the evacuees met severe extremes of temperature. In winter it reached 35 degrees below zero, and summer brought temperatures as high as 115 degrees. Rattlesnakes and desert wildlife added danger to discomfort." - Personal Justice Denied: Report of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians.

14. Life in Manzanar
Photos taken by Ansel Adams (

18. In 1988, Congress implemented the Civil Liberties Act, apologizing on behalf of the nation for the "grave injustice" done to persons of Japanese ancestry. Congress declared that the internments had been "motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership" and authorized $20,000 payments to Japanese Americans who had suffered injustices during World War II.

19. Korematsu vs. United States
Topic: Constitutionality of Executive Order 9006
Korematsu argued Executive Order was unconstitutional and violated the fifth amendment
“No person shall...be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”
Is he right?

20. Block 1 Groups Supreme Court Judge Court Witnesses Prosecutors
Seth, Haley C., Merrisa, Devan, Grace, Liam, Arielle, Ada, Amir, Kate
Court Witnesses
Tucker, Basaree, Erica, Jason, Jaclyn, Olivia, Kris, Mitch, Danielle, Megan
Prosecutors
Claire, Victoria, Tyler, Zach, Kenil, Liza, Nick, Tristan, Johnny, Harris
Defense Attorney
Rachel, Anh, Heather, Laura, Haley H., Aaliyah, Jacob, Fabian, Ethan, Megan

21. Block 3 Groups Supreme Court Judges Court Witnesses Prosecutors
Madelyn, Brandon W., Krista, Raquan, Samantha, Isabella, Matt, Brandon S., Jeff T.
Court Witnesses
Sam, Karla, Markell, Tyree, Paula, Tia, Katya, Carissa, Eric, Drew
Prosecutors
Erica, Emma, Patrick, David, Jeff M., Brianna, Lane, Justin, Lindsey
Defense Attorney
Tyler, Jonathon, Tiffany, Joyssa, Ariana, Sophia, Mishayla, Josh, Nick

22. After you are in your groups
Judges- Read over the material in front of you on the court case. Your responsibility is to judge whether or not Korematsu’s constitutional rights were violated, NOT whether or not Japanese Internment in humane
Court Witness: You are the jury, take notes during the prosecutors and defense attorney’s presentations, you will meet to decide whether the journey finds Executive Order 9006 constitutional after the presentations
Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys: Using the handout, come up with a creative way to present the strongest sides of the case, discuss in your group how you will do this and choose two speakers to present the material