Japanese Internment Essays - Japanese American Internment

Japanese Internment Japanese Internment: Will We Ever Know The Truth? Would The Truth Make It Moral? In 1942, 120,000 Japanese-Americans were relocated to areas far from their homes, out of the fear the United States Government held inside their hearts. Japan had just bombed Pearl Harbor. Many of the U.S. seaport areas on the West coast were inhabited by Japanese-Americans. General DeWitt provided a security plan for both United States citizens (Caucasian) and the Japanese-Americans...or so it was stated. However, when seeking the fine details of this incident, will we ever know the absolute truth? The Official Government documents drastically contrast the first-hand accounts of what it was like in those Pioneer Communities. Each source changes the story behind the Japanese-American Internment slightly. Can truth truly exist once it becomes a part of the past? By looking at both governmental and personal accounts of the Internment, only small similarities carry throughout. In the Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry, John L. DeWitt, lieutenant general of the Western Defense Command, posted on April 30th, 1942, instructed all Japanese descendants, whether born inside or outside of the United States that they were not to change residences after 12:00 PM on this very day, and that all would be evacuated from their homes no later than May 7th, 1942 - only one week later. There were no reasons behind this evacuation, and there were no explanations as to what was going to happen after such an evacuation. Thorough plans for preparation were provided, such as the offering of assistance from the Civil Control Station to help sell or dispose of all personal or business property, and to provide temporary residence for all Japanese in family groups. The instructions on this evacuation were very precise, and did not allow for any compromise: THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE OBSERVED: ...2. Evacuees must carry with them on departure for the Assembly Center, the following property: (a) Bedding and linens (no mattress) for each member of the family; (b) Toilet articles for each member of the family; (c) Extra clothing for each member of the family; (d) Sufficient knives, forks, spoons, plates, bowls, and cups for each member of the family... As is obvious, it seemed the government had a very specific plan in mind for these thousands of Japanese-Americans. But no reasoning was offered to the victims of this plan. Each citizen and alien (Non-American born Japanese were not allowed to become citizens - evidence of previous racism against those of Asian background) were expected to fully accept and obey what the government had expected of them. Most of them did. It was a trust of the government - it was the center of everything, and the President and his men held a great deal of respect - and the government officials must have had sufficient reason for doing such a thing to its people. We know now that this relocation and evacuation was immoral, deceitful, and practically criminal. But in the 1940s, it was somehow accepted. The instructions also included, not just what they were to bring, but also what NOT to bring. No pets of an kind...no personal items and no household goods.... The government only allowed for the Japanese-Americans to bring necessities. Nothing that would provide them with any of the comforts of home. Perhaps some thought the government would provide them these sorts of amenities once they arrived wherever it was that they were going. But they left it all behind. It is easy to look into this occurrence now, with hate and wagging fingers, knowing that even the government which initiated such a situation has taken blame and admittance for such a wrongdoing. In the eyes, minds, and hearts of those involved in the situation and around it, it must have been a very different situation. In a news reel from 1942, reported by Milton Eisenhower, these camps of untamed lands and pioneer communities seemed like ample opportunities for the Japanese-Americans which were being moved there. The government was depicted as working quickly to provide safety for Japanese descendants from the war-affected Americans that may become violent towards them, and that they were busy ensuring that the Japanese had everything that they would need for as long as they were there. The Japanese were depicted as curious about their new surroundings, though the film showed rather frightened-looking humans with slumped shoulders and withdrawn souls. Nothing about them looked curious, however Im sure some were - regarding when they could go home again. The government, particularly Milton Eisenhower in this film,