Katie Pease

1st Hour

Blain

US History B

Q: Why were Japanese-Americans interned during World War ll? How was it justified?
Can it be justified? Was it right or wrong?

On December 7th 1941, Japanese bombers bombed the ships and planes at Pearl Harbor

in Hawaii at the US military base (Timeline). This is what led the United States into World War

ll. After Pearl Harbor, Americans became scared for their lives. They were worried that the

Japanese immigrants were spies and were planning another attack. As a result, the FDR proposed

executive order 9099. This order suggested that the American government moved people of

Japanese descent away from the west coast to internment camps in deserts in the middle of the

US. The Japanese-Americans should not have been interned because of racial prejudice (racist),

and forced out of their homes and work, but it helped keep American lives safe.

After Pearl Harbor and the death of 2,335 people (How Many), Americans at this point

were anxious of another attack. This time also ushered in the rise of dictators like Mussolini of

Italy and Hitler of Germany. People of the German or Italian race that lived in America were not

put in these camps like the Japanese were, which made for racial prejudice. An estimated 250 to

300 Japanese-Americans were put under surveillance (B). At this time, it was easy for the

Japanese to be classified as suspects, because it was so easy to pick out a Japanese person from

an American (B). A total of 50 to 60 Japanese-Americans in each district were classified as

dangerous (B). This was wrong because as Americans, we judged the Japanese-Americans for

something the Japanese government did. Most of these people that were interned were born in
America, and had been in the US for many generations. The German-Americans could have been

more dangerous at this time because of Hitlers views and ways of rule. In a way this act from

the US was similar with some of what was going on in Europe, with the Germans and Jewish

people.

One of the most important factors of the Japanese internment was the fact that Americans

forced people of Japanese descent out of their homes into the camps. The camps were nothing

like concentration camps, but the atmosphere and living conditions were not very nice. When

most of the Japanese people came back from the camps, American citizens that lived in their

community had ruined their businesses by breaking windows, and writing go back to where you

belong on the walls (Video). Much of this happened to their houses too. Mind you, the

Japanese-Americans were only allowed to bring about two bags of personal items, and the

government made it sound like a vacation. That they would soon return from. When they

returned, often their homes were either burned or ruined, along with the items they left behind.

These people were left homeless and jobless at this point. This was terrible on the part of both

the communities and the government's. In some other ways, this plan of action was helping, what

some would say the Americans, and also the Japanese-Americans.

Even though all of this was bad, in several ways this interment did reduce risk in the US.

It helped keep the American people safe. At this time the west coast states like California,

Washington, and Oregon were at the most risk. We were worried that the Japanese would attack

again, and possibly resulting in even more death. In Los Angeles, citizens said that they would

see the Japanese watch their military air base. This could be dangerous because obviously they

could easily take notes, plan, and watch the US Air Force. On the other hand, most of these
Japanese-Americans were very nice people that would never rebel against the US, and for many,

their home country. We judged them for their race and where they came from over how they

really are as people.

Overall there were good and bad reasons for the Japanese internment. But in my opinion,

it was terrible and shouldnt have ever happened. The Japanese internment should not have

happened because it was racist, made many people lose jobs and homes, but it did ensure

America stayed safe. Today, the US still judges races, and even religion. We should take our past

history (which could be bad) to shape the future, to keep not only America safe, but keep other

countries safe, so events like the internment and Holocaust never happens ever again.

Works Cited

"How Many People Died at Pearl Harbor during the Attack?" Visit Pearl Harbor. Pearl

Harbor, 2017. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.

Extra Credit

Another instance of internment was the terrible holocaust. Germans had a great

hate for people like gypsies, Jewish people, Communists, political prisoners, and

homosexuals (USHMM) and put them into camps like the US did, but then worked them to

death. They were split from their families and had to let go their personal belongings that

they had brought with them. The Japanese-Americans were allowed to bring personal

items and were sent back after a while to their homes to resume a normal life.

Works Cited

"Prisoners of the Camps." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.