What happened that led up to the forming of the Japanese interment camps?
The formation of Japanese internment camps in the United States was primarily driven by a combination of wartime hysteria, racial prejudice, and political decision-making. The following events and factors contributed to the creation and implementation of these camps:
1. Pearl Harbor attack: On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy launched a surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, resulting in the deaths of over 2,400 Americans and the destruction of numerous ships and aircraft. This attack brought the United States into World War II and sparked intense fear and anger against anyone of Japanese descent.
2. War hysteria and racial prejudice: The attack on Pearl Harbor created a widespread sense of fear and paranoia among the American population. Japanese-Americans or anyone who appeared to be of Japanese descent, both immigrants and American citizens, became targets of racial prejudice and suspicion. This sentiment was fueled by racist stereotypes, economic competition, and longstanding anti-Asian sentiment in the United States.
3. Executive Order 9066: On February 19, 1942, just two months after Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the forced removal and internment of Japanese-Americans living on the West Coast. The order specifically targeted around 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens.
4. Evacuation and removal: After the signing of Executive Order 9066, Japanese-Americans were given very little time to prepare and were forcibly relocated from their homes. They were initially held in temporary assembly centers, like fairgrounds, before being transferred to 10 main internment camps located in isolated areas across the United States. Conditions in these camps were often harsh, with overcrowded living quarters, inadequate healthcare, limited job opportunities, and limitations on personal freedoms.
5. Korematsu v. United States: During this period, many Japanese-Americans challenged the constitutionality of the internment camps. One such case, Korematsu v. United States, reached the Supreme Court in 1944. In a controversial decision, the Court upheld the legality of the internment on the grounds of military necessity, disregarding the violations of civil liberties that the policy entailed.
It is important to note that the decision to intern Japanese-Americans was driven by prevailing wartime hysteria, racial prejudice, and political calculations, rather than any evidence of widespread disloyalty or threat posed by this specific community. The internment of Japanese-Americans is now widely regarded as a grave injustice and a violation of civil rights.