Transcript Japanese-American Internment

Japanese-American Internment:
Was it best for national security?
Christine Morgan
Holland Patent Middle School
[email protected]
What was Japanese-American Internment?
On December 7, 1941, the naval base
located at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was
attacked by Japan. This attack
damaged much of the US Pacific fleet
and killed over two thousand
Americans. As the nation reacted to
this event, many Americans looked
closely at the over 100,000 people of
Japanese ancestry that lived within the
US. Although almost 2/3rds of these
were second generation Japanese
Americans, Asian Americans had long
faced discrimination and bigotry. The
attack on Pearl Harbor only added to
the racism that Japanese-Americans
faced, as many Americans feared that
they were loyal to Japan rather than
the United States. Many Japanese on
the West Coast lost jobs, were evicted
and were harassed.
Source:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_World_War_I
I_Japanese_American_internment_camps.jpg
On February 19, 1942, President
Roosevelt issued Executive Order
9066. This order relocated many of
Japanese ancestry living on the West
Coast to isolated camps.
Identify the Problem
Source: http://fearandmasshysteria.wikispaces.com/Japanese+Internment+Camps
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, many Americans debated over
whether or not people of Japanese ancestry living in the US should be
moved into internment camps and watched more closely. Would the
debate over whether or not to relocate this group of people to internment
camps be considered a social problem of the 1940s?
Click here to learn the definition of social problem and decide. Explain
your answer to a partner.
Source: http://www.bookmice.net/darkchilde/japan/camp.html
Political Cartoon Analysis
Directions: View each of the following political cartoons with your
group. For each, answer the following questions:

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What is the overall message of the political cartoon?
How is this shown? (What do different people/symbols/characters
represent? Is there any text that supports the message?)
Which side of this debate does the political cartoon support?
Source: http://gtmegan.edublogs.org/files/2012/02/honorable-fifth-column-vq3zje.jpg
Source: http://ww2cartoons.org/nov-1942-internment-of-japanese-americans/
Source: http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist8/editorial4.html
Source: http://japanfocus.org/-Stephanie-Bangarth/2649
Source: http://japanfocus.org/-Stephanie-Bangarth/2649
Determine the Causes
Directions: First, click here to review this step from the
AHPPA website.
Next, with your group, use this worksheet to discuss and
create a list of the causes of this debate. You should describe
the reasons FOR and AGAINST placing Japanese
Americans in internment camps during World War II.
In your discussion, be sure to consider the following: Race
relations in the United States, Nativism, Events at home
and in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s, your personal
beliefs and evidence from the political cartoons. You may
use evidence from your class notes and supplied readings to
help prepare your reasons.
Is Japanese internment best for the
national security of the country?
Now let’s consider your arguments. These may include:
FOR

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In times of war, we need
to do whatever is
necessary to keep the
country safe.
Japanese or Japanese
Americans might remain
loyal to Japan.
Some Japanese
immigrants might act as
spies.
It was Japan that
attacked Pearl Harbor, not
other Axis Powers.
Other views?
AGAINST





We are a nation of immigrants.
We aren’t forcing German or
Italian immigrants into
internment camps. We shouldn’t
force Japanese immigrants into
internment camps either.
This is a violation of their
constitutional rights.
This is an example of bigotry.
Japanese and other Asian
immigrants had faced
discrimination for decades.
This will encourage
discrimination against other
immigrants.
Other views?
What was the long-term outcome?
Source: http://japaneseintermentcamps.wikispaces.com/After+the+War
Once the war is over, restrictions were lifted on Japanese Americans. In
1946, President Truman signed an act to compensate Japanese Americans
for some economic losses due to the forced evacuation. After years of
efforts by activists and congressional hearings, a law was passed in 1988
that was, in essence, an apology from the US government. The law paid
$20,000 to each surviving Japanese American who had lived in the
internment camps.