Internment of Japanese Internment of Japanese AmericansAmericans

1942-1945

Warm-upWarm-up

What reasons do you think the United States interned Japanese in the US during WWII?

Do you think that the United States would ever intern a group of people today?

Upfront articleUpfront article

Pages 16-18

How many Japanese lived in How many Japanese lived in America?America?

120,000 Japanese lived in the United States during World War II

Most were US citizens living on the West Coast

Japanese AmericanJapanese American

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941

Citizens feared US would be attacked by the Japanese

Citizens believed false rumors that Japanese Americans were committing sabotage

Japanese InternmentJapanese Internment

Fear and uncertainty caused a wave of prejudice against Japanese Americans

1942US War Department called for mass evacuation of all Japanese Americans from Hawaii. 37% of island was Japanese

Japanese InternmentJapanese Internment

InternmentInternment

Newspapers attacked the Japanese1942, President Roosevelt signed an order

requiring the removal of people of Japanese ancestry from California and parts of Washington, Oregon, and Arizona

AddAdd

InternmentInternment

President justified it as necessary for national security

110,000 Japanese Americans shipped to ten remote “relocation centers”prison camps

2/3s were Nisei Born in America

InternmentInternment

No charges were ever filed against Japanese Americans

No evidence of subversion ever foundTerrified Japanese American families were

forced to sell their homes, businesses, and all their belongings for less than their true value

Going to the CampsGoing to the Camps

Supreme Court CaseSupreme Court Case

Korematsu vs. United StatesSupreme Court argued relocating Japanese was justified on the basis of “military necessity.”

Japanese American Citizens League pushed government to compensate

1965Congress authorized spending $38 million for the purpose of paying back Japanese citizens losses…only covered 1/10

KorematsuKorematsu

JACLJACL

1978, called for payment of reparations to each individual that suffered internment.

Decade later, Congress pass, Reagan signed, a bill that promised $20,000 to every Japanese American sent to relocation camp.

Pres. Bush” We can never fully right the wrongs of the past. But we can take a clear stand for justice and recognize that serious injustices were done to Japanese Americans during World War II.”

Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan

QuestionsQuestions

Should the Japanese Americans receive reparations?

Could this ever happen again in the United States? Please explain