The Japanese Camps In California Summary

The social climate in California was very unwelcoming to non-American immigrants from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. Racial prejudice against Asian immigrants began during the Gold Rush in California in 1848. Japanese immigrants were heavily recruited in the mining industry, however this caused hostility among the whites and Californios; with a more diverse population competition increased causing a white mans job to be taken, old miners were pushed out and for the first time California Indians were out numbered. As the population increased and became diverse anti-Japanese groups emerged and created movements and networks to limit the Japanese immigrants access to legal and economic equality with whites. As the population changed discrimination

The anti-Japanese sentiments became even more prominent with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. In Mark Weber’s essay “The Japanese Camps in California (www.ihr.org)” he describes the fear the government had of all Japanese people also including Chinese and Asian; Americans felt unsafe and perceived the Japanese as a threat. On February 19, 1942 President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066 authorizing all Japanese residents to evacuate from their homes establishing internment camps. Families were torn apart, their property and belongings were destroyed and all financial assistance for families were frozen. Many adults and children became ill and many died for lack of medical care. The evacuation was made to protect US citizens from possible sabotage. Many asked to be let go, however they were forced to fill out loyalty questionnaires. The questionnaires asked many personal questions including if they were spies, what they would do for Japan, if they would join the US military, for example, “Question 28 was even more complex: Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States... and forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, to any other foreign government, power or organization? Many internees feared this question was a trap. Would a yes answer indicate that they had once sworn allegiance to Japan? Some refused to answer, or answered no to both questions, as a matter of principle. For Issei, who had been denied U.S. citizenship on the basis of race, the issue was even more complex, because either response could conceivably make them stateless” (Loyalty Questionnaire: www.amhistory.si.edu). Many found these questions to be unconstitutional and would prove