What was Japanese-American Internment during WWII? Why did President Roosevelt think the action was necessary? Why is it remembered as one of our bigger national mistakes today?
Japanese-American Internment during WWII was the forced relocation and incarceration of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast of the United States following the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan in December 1941.
President Roosevelt believed that the internment was necessary for national security reasons, as there were fears that Japanese Americans could potentially be loyal to Japan and act as spies or saboteurs. This decision was made despite no evidence of widespread disloyalty or espionage among Japanese Americans.
Today, Japanese-American Internment is remembered as one of our bigger national mistakes because it violated the civil rights and liberties of innocent individuals based solely on their ancestry. The internment camps were overcrowded and lacked basic necessities, and many Japanese Americans lost their homes, businesses, and personal belongings as a result of the forced relocation. The internment also perpetuated harmful stereotypes and discrimination against Japanese Americans.
In 1988, the U.S. government officially apologized for the internment and provided reparations to surviving victims. It serves as a reminder of the dangers of racial profiling and discrimination in times of crisis, and the importance of upholding civil liberties and protecting the rights of all individuals, regardless of their background.