Thomas F. (hardtack) -
I have read numerous books---histories, legal arguments, memoirs, etc.---about the Japanese-American incarceration during World War II, and thought I knew the whole story. But I was wrong. This book let me know the story we've been told was white-washed to provide us with a "feel good" history of one of our country's most despicable actions. An action that was supported at the highest levels, even from a president who had already exhibited his own racial prejudice toward Japanese-Americans in the 1920s. Who made a decision based on politics and not on the principles America stood for. You would think we would have learned from our treatment of black slaves, American Indians and German-American citizens, the latter during World War I. But we didn't.
When the Japanese-Americans on the West Coast were moved to concentration camps it was supposedly based on "military necessity." But most of the movement came after the Battle of Midway, an American victory which guaranteed that Imperial Japanese forces would not come anywhere near the Pacific Coast. And why were 120,000 Japanese-Americans on the Pacific Coast hurriedly forced from their homes and businesses, while 150,000 Japanese-Americans in Hawaii left untouched? It was due to the racial bigotry, jealously and greed of "white Americans" for the land and assets of the very productive Japanese-Americans.
Some of the statements documented here made by politicians and military leaders beggar the imagination in their stupidity. One of my favorites was, "There has been no sabotage in the last months since the war began. Which is proof it will happen." I kept wondering when some political idiot or newspaper would claim Japanese-Americans were eating people's pets. Almost all of the government bigots responsible for this great tragedy were never punished. In fact, many profited by being granted promotion in the military and political areas. And where was the American Civil Liberties Union? Its director, a friend of President Roosevelt, forbade its lawyers from defending the rights of the Japanese-Americans. But some ACLU lawyers offered their services to these Americans as private lawyers. Milton Eisenhower, General Dwight Eisenhower's younger brother, was first appointed director of the War Relocation Board. He soon found a way out of this position and recommended a friend to take over. When the friend asked if he should, Milton Eisenhower replied, "Only if you can sleep at night. I couldn't."
Once in the camps where the living conditions were deplorable, especially when compared to the POW camps German and Italian soldiers were kept in, many Japanese-Americans eventually turned from being pro-America to anti-America. This resulted in riots and killings by anti-American groups against pro-American groups in the camps. Then there were the numerous shootings of Japanese-Americans by their camp guards, often when the Japanese-American was just standing there. One camp guard was tried, but was found innocent of manslaughter. However, he was fined $1 for firing a government weapon without permission.
And it wasn't just in the United States, Canada treated its Japanese-Americans just as badly. And other countries in Latin and South America used the opportunity to divest themselves of Japanese nationals. At a time when our military forces were stretched to the limit, dozens of American military planes and hundreds of solders were sent to these counties to gather the Japanese nationals and bring them to camps in the U.S. Such stupidity!
I could continue, but I think you get the gist of this well documented book. It is a hard book to read, but it is well worth reading. The author is not a Japanese-American, but is a nationally recognized, award-winning journalist.
When the Japanese-Americans on the West Coast were moved to concentration camps it was supposedly based on "military necessity." But most of the movement came after the Battle of Midway, an American victory which guaranteed that Imperial Japanese forces would not come anywhere near the Pacific Coast. And why were 120,000 Japanese-Americans on the Pacific Coast hurriedly forced from their homes and businesses, while 150,000 Japanese-Americans in Hawaii left untouched? It was due to the racial bigotry, jealously and greed of "white Americans" for the land and assets of the very productive Japanese-Americans.
Some of the statements documented here made by politicians and military leaders beggar the imagination in their stupidity. One of my favorites was, "There has been no sabotage in the last months since the war began. Which is proof it will happen." I kept wondering when some political idiot or newspaper would claim Japanese-Americans were eating people's pets. Almost all of the government bigots responsible for this great tragedy were never punished. In fact, many profited by being granted promotion in the military and political areas. And where was the American Civil Liberties Union? Its director, a friend of President Roosevelt, forbade its lawyers from defending the rights of the Japanese-Americans. But some ACLU lawyers offered their services to these Americans as private lawyers. Milton Eisenhower, General Dwight Eisenhower's younger brother, was first appointed director of the War Relocation Board. He soon found a way out of this position and recommended a friend to take over. When the friend asked if he should, Milton Eisenhower replied, "Only if you can sleep at night. I couldn't."
Once in the camps where the living conditions were deplorable, especially when compared to the POW camps German and Italian soldiers were kept in, many Japanese-Americans eventually turned from being pro-America to anti-America. This resulted in riots and killings by anti-American groups against pro-American groups in the camps. Then there were the numerous shootings of Japanese-Americans by their camp guards, often when the Japanese-American was just standing there. One camp guard was tried, but was found innocent of manslaughter. However, he was fined $1 for firing a government weapon without permission.
And it wasn't just in the United States, Canada treated its Japanese-Americans just as badly. And other countries in Latin and South America used the opportunity to divest themselves of Japanese nationals. At a time when our military forces were stretched to the limit, dozens of American military planes and hundreds of solders were sent to these counties to gather the Japanese nationals and bring them to camps in the U.S. Such stupidity!
I could continue, but I think you get the gist of this well documented book. It is a hard book to read, but it is well worth reading. The author is not a Japanese-American, but is a nationally recognized, award-winning journalist.
