Japanese Internment During Wor Essay Research Paper

In May of 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order

9066, which called for the eviction and internment of all Japanese Americans.

After Pearl Harbor, all Japanese were looked upon as being a threat to

America. The interments began in April of 1942. The Japanese-Americans were

transported on buses and trains to camps in California. They were always

under military guard. The Japanese-Americans were housed in livestock stalls

in the beginning, or in windowless shacks that were crowded and lacked

sufficient ventilation, electricity and sanitation facilities. All these

actions taken have often been controversial, arguing whether this course of

actions was proper. The fact of the matter has been that these innocent

Japanese Americans living in California or any other state were taken away

their Civil Rights as stated in the United States Constitution under

Amendment number four.

These Japanese Americans came to the United States in hope of a new and

peaceful life, yet what they received was nothing of this sort. The Japanese

were taken away all their rights even if one was a naturalized citizen. Under

Executive order 9066 all persons of Japanese ancestry shall be excluded from

area which are inhabiting. Many innocent Japanese families were broken apart

and sent to internment camps located throughout California and other states

near by. Innocent hard working Japanese were taken prisoner just because of

their looks. Many who were captured and sent to internment camps were not of

any Japanese descent, but because of the way that person looked they were

sent to camps.

These people imprisoned were not given any trials or fair due process of

law. All Japanese people’s homes were ransacked and searched without warrants

or reason, only because were Japanese. Many were imprisoned because of items

found at their homes, which were considered a threat. Items such as kitchen

silver ware, cooking knives, screw drivers or any other ordinary house hold

item that could be considered a threat according to police or army. All

Japanese who encountered this harsh event could do nothing but obey, for if

one should disobey the consequences would be severe.

Japanese Americans not only suffered racism from the police and army but

from society as well. Many stores and businesses thought now excluded the

Japanese as customers. Barbershops, bars, movies, produce markets, and all

were now forbidden to any Japanese Americans. Society now thought of the

Japanese as in the ranks of dogs. In several stores in order to show their

hatred against these Japanese people, store clerks would post a sign that

read, “No Dogs, No Japanese.”

The racism that occurred to these Japanese American people were all a

result of the Executive order that Franklin D. Roosevelt signed. When

Roosevelt issued this order, he not only took away all Japanese American’s

hopes and dreams of a peaceful life but also their civil rights; Life,

Liberty, and property. Japanese were given no say so in the matter and were

treated with the utterly most disrespect. America accused these innocent

Japanese people of helping Japan in the war some way. These people were taken

away their rights because of their race, not because of broken laws. The acts

of military tactics done on the Japanese were a response to the bombing of

Pearl Harbor. Although many lives were lost in the bombing of Pearl Harbor,

innocent Japanese Americans did not have to be the victims at the end.