JAPANESE INTERMENT

JAPANESE INTERMENT

JAPANESE INTERMENT

Introduction

Many Japanese came from Japan for a better life in Canada. Numerous Japanese found that in Canada, but during World War II Japanese were treated harshly for doing nothing at all. A lot of Canada thought that Japanese were a threat to Canadian Security. This was far from the truth, there was never a Japanese spy ever found in Canada. Canada treated Japanese like they were not even human. After Pearl Harbor, there were many groups who were racist against Japanese, even though a lot of Japanese had never even been to Japan. Japanese Canadians were disowned from the community. People that were accepted as Canadians no longer were, because of the large group of prejudice people.

Discussion

Abandon your home or business for no reason other than your ethnicity? That is exactly what the Canadian government did to the Japanese living in Canada during World War II. The Japanese-Canadians were the majority of Canadian citizens. They were forced to leave their homes and many of their belongings in order to be incarcerated in concentration camps. This act of discrimination against Japanese-Canadians had a huge impact on their lives. All they really wanted was to work and have a family.

Canadian Government was not justified in forcefully interning Japanese Canadians during World War II. There was no national security risk. As if the racism towards the Japanese wasn't enough, they were sent to internment Camp around British Columbia. The camps were harsh because everyone was separated from their family and friends. All their belongings were sold for a fraction of the cost to willing bidders. Houses, Cars, furniture and everything that was worth any amount of money were sold. Japanese-Canadians were forced to carry on their lives under these harsh conditions.  

The Japanese never invaded Canada. There were a few attempts, but they were unsuccessful and futile. When you were a Japanese living in Canada, it was hard because there was also an anti-Japanese hysteria in British Columbia. This was especially in Greater Vancouver, but the government did nothing to help. Japanese spies were never found, and there were no Japanese Canadians ever charged with sabotage or disloyalty during World War II.

The fear of people in British Columbia cried out. They wanted British Columbia government to deal with the problem as they saw it in Japanese Canadians. The people of British Columbia wanted to feel safe in their homes again, and they wanted Prime Minister Mackenzie King to rid Canada of people of Japanese origin. This was racist, because some of these Japanese were born in Canada and were never involved in any thing to do with Japan. Japanese Canadians were being punished for a crime they didn't commit. They were guilty until proven innocent, when it should have been the other way around. They should have had the same rights as other Canadians. Innocent Japanese-Canadians were stripped of their rights, issued special clothing, humiliated, thrown behind barb wire fences, and were forced to do manual ...