Japanese Internment Camps in the U.S

Japanese Internment Camps in the U.S

A great injustice was done to a group of American citizens due to only their nationality. There was not any proof that these individuals were a threat or unloyal to America. They were mistreated by the placement on the camps. Upon release they were still abused and mistreated by other American citizen. Maybe our best defense for the future is to remember the past.

A special police force was designed at each camp. This force was called internal security. It was composed mainly of able bodied residents and headed by a chief and a few assistants that were not evacuees. Misdemeanors and other similar offenses were handled by the Project Director or by a judicial commission made up of evacuee residents. The maximum penalty for misdemeanor offenses was imprisonment or suspension of work and compensation privileges for a period of 3 months. Major criminal cases were turned over to the outside courts. At each center, the exterior boundaries were guarded by a company of military police who would be called into the center for emergencies. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was called in from time to time as needed(Lehman).

As a result of this pressure, on February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized military commanders to designate military areas from which "any or all persons may be excluded." The military chose to establish curfews for Japanese Americans. The War Relocation Authority was created to administer the assembly centers, relocation centers, and internment camps. Relocation of Japanese-Americans began in April 1942. All people of Japanese ancestry were confined to detention camps until their loyalty could be determined. This resulted in the forcible internment of 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry. More than two-thirds of those interned under the Executive Order were citizens of the United States, and none had ever shown any disloyalty (U.S.Com.).

Businesses such as stores, canteens, barber shops, and shoe-repair establishments were maintained by the residents so they could purchase goods and services that were not provided as part of the regular government provisions. These businesses were all self-supporting and ran by the evacuee residents. Churches were also established. The evacuees were given the same freedom of religion as the rest of the United States. Nearly half the residences were Christians. The government did not provide church facilities. Services were held in the barracks by Christians, Protestants, Catholics and Buddhist alike. Ministers and priest were from the general population and were not compensated for their services(Davis).

Executive order number 9066, which authorized the evacuation, remained on the government books until February 20, 1976. President Gerald R. Ford issued a presidential proclamation revoking it. A few months later, congress removed public law 503 which enforced the evacuation(U.S.Com.).

In 1944 after many long court cases it was decided that the evacuees be gradually released. The people in the camps had to file the proper request papers to be released. Many refused to leave. They had no where to go and nothing to start ...