Japanese Internment Camp Research Paper

Internment Camps

     During the growth of America many Japanese people immigrated to Hawaii and mainland America as did many other immigrants to gain/earn a better life/living. Many of these immigrants helped in wars and worked in factories to help the economy grow and to help America when it is suffering. The United States decided to stay neutral in many wars including World War II. It wasn't until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Japan attacked the United States over economic sanctions and trade embargoes - which hindered trade and natural resources that Japan need from the US. As a result of the attacks on the US, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Order 9066, which gathered all Japanese-American citizens in military

areas. Internment camps during World War II were justified because Japan had attacked America on our soil, so the camps were a way to make sure that no other attack could take place.

     The use of internment camps during World War II was a way to protect American citizens.

The Pearl Harbor attack was a surprise attack on American soil. President Roosevelt took the right action and gathered all Japanese-Americans to several locations to keep a watch on them. The internment camp was a way to look over what the Japanese people did but also another way to make sure another attack on the US would not happen. As always some people were furious with the relocation/gathering of the Japanese-Americans because we were stripping away their natural rights, but also because we didn't gather up the other immigrant countries that we were at war with. United States entered into World War II fighting against Japan, Germany, and Italy. The reason why Japanese citizens were gathered in internment camps was because Japan declared war on the United States. During the war President Roosevelt would meet with representatives of Japan to work out a peace treaty, but Japan declined the offer. Also Japan was trying to take over America starting with Alaska and working their way down - eventually capturing all of America. Although this didn't work, because of the army at Alaska, we saw that Japan was willing to do anything and everything to weaken America. Internment camps were justified on the American view because it was a way to make sure no other attack could happen, but it was also a way to see who was a spy and who was truly devoted to

America. 

     America was a place where immigrants could come to a better place - whether it be the economy, religious purposes, or many other reasons.

During the time of mass immigration Americans did get a strong sense of nationalism, patriotic feelings, because these new immigrants didn't act like Americans and didn't follow American customs. So as immigrants came over to America they tried to assimulate or look/act like native Americans. The Japanese, on the other hand when they immigrated over did not try to take in American culture. They looked different, ate different foods, and had "weird" obsessions/customs. This caused many American people to distrust them because they were different, but also because this led many people to think that there was a secret or something else going on. The Japanese-Americans did work in the farms in Hawaii and in the factories in California - so they were acting like American citizens. Many other immigrants did keep their customs when they relocated to America. The internment camps were also a way to protect Japanese people from American anger. When Japan attacked America, this further led to American dislike/distrust of Japanese citizens - American born or not. This led to Japanese people being safe from the destruction that native Americans could have caused to them. The internment camps were the right way to go - it allowed for action against the Japanese, but also allowed them to show that they had no part in the attacks - by following what

the US government did.

   Americans distrusted Japanese people from the start, but Pearl Harbor intensified this. Japanese people killed thousands of men in Hawaii and Alaska. Media spread the attacks all over America and with this came exaggerations, in which many people believed. Rumors that were spread around accused the Japanese of immigrating to the America with intentions to take over the world, to send spies and to sabotage different things. Many of these accusations were taken seriously, too, because the majority of the Japanese people seemed to be very intelligent and very capable of being involved in an anti-American conspiracy that has to do with Japan. They also were bilingual and could communicate in Japanese making it hard for America to try and uncover their plans. Although there was no conclusive evidence of this, the government had to take the proper precautions to protect U.S. citizens and its interest in the war so they could win. This just shows that the internment camps were not just for American (native) citizens.

     The internment camps was a way to protect Japanese citizens along with American citizens. The Japanese citizens didn't fit with the rest of society during war - they were well educated but didn't flow with the rest of society. After the interment camps were lifted many American citizens found a new respect for Japanese-Americans, because they showed that they were loyal to America. In the end if the internment camps were never created, there could have been a war on American soil. There could have been a different out come - but we will never know. President Roosevelt did the right thing in order to protect the citizens (Japanese and native) and to protect "his" country.