The incident of my choosing would be the “WWII Internment of Japanese Americans in the U.S.”. I chose this topic for many reasons. The first reason that I chose this topic is because I have never heard of this at any point in history and this would be a great way to learn more about it. Another reason I chose this topic is because there is a bunch of valuable information about the events from many credible sources. Lastly, I like how much information is offered about this incident and the many different viewpoints it can be seen from. This incident can be taken from so many different ways and seen from so many aspects that it causes the reader to really analyze and see how each group felt about the situation.
In mid February of 1942 right after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor the Executive Order 9066 was signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. I know most people do not know what this is so I will explain. Executive Order 9066 had the goals to halt and not allow espionage to take place on American lands. With Executive Order 9066 in place President Roosevelt wanted the relocation of all Japanese Americans. In locations like California, Washington, and Oregon with a large population of Japanese Americans military zones were made to have the Japanese Americans relocated to. Most of the 117,000 that were affected were American citizens.
Many areas of the West coast had began relocating these individuals by the FBI before Executive Order 9066 was even signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The FBI rounded up 1,291 religious leaders and other people of the Japanese community with any evidence. There were facilites in Montana, New Mexico, and North Dakota where Japanese Americans were transferred to. The Japanese were one-third of Hawaii’s population and 1,500 of them were arrested and brought to the mainland of the United States of America.
History.com wrote, “Lt. General John L. DeWitt, leader of the Western Defense Command, believed that the civilian population needed to be taken control of to prevent a repeat of Pearl Harbor.
To argue his case, DeWitt prepared a report filled with known falsehoods, such as examples of sabotage that were later revealed to be the result of cattle damaging power lines.
DeWitt suggested the creation of the military zones and Japanese detainment to Secretary of War Henry Stimson and Attorney General Francis Biddle. His original plan included Italians and Germans, though the idea of rounding-up European-descent Americans was not as popular” (History.com Editors, 2018, p. NA). This was before President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. What Lieutenant General John L. Dewitt said probably helped the president to make his decision to sign the executive order which gave way for the American to hop on the train of Japanese American hatred. Dewitt even tried to have European Americans like the Italians and Germans put into facilities like the Japanese Americans but that idea was not liked as much. Attorney General Francis Biddle did not believe that the mass evacuation of these citizens was not required. He thought there should be a way to do it in a smaller way.
The relocation facilities for these Japanese American citizens were very run and down and not healthy living environments. Many people were living in cattle stables and places like that. Where they were living was almost like their own secluded community surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers. Each person had a job from a teacher, farmer, doctor, or even mechanics. The Japanese Americans were not to be paid more than an Army private. One thing that very much amazed me was that four thousand people were allowed to leave to attend to college. When choosing a theory I thought “Defended Neighborhoods” was the best fit for this incident. It was a hard choice to pick a theory, but I think is the best one. The theoretical motivation says, “The changing demographics of a neighborhood are seen as a threat to the old order, leading to violence. Migration is seen as direct threat on the status of the neighborhood” (Bones, 2018, p. 103). I agree with many parts of the theoretical motivation, but I feel that some parts can be explained better. By the changing demographics statement I think of that as the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Japanese being over the U.S. land in a threatening way. The theory is “Defended Neighborhoods”. I think “Defended Neighborhoods” fits so well because people treat our entire country like the neighborhood they live in. They will protect their own neighborhood against anything. The violence that took place in the facilities were brutal and a bit too much.
The things that happened in this incident were terrible as families were moved from their homes and payed the lowest possible amount possible to work. The food rations were not enough. The living situations were not safe. This should show anyone reading this how much this country and the world has changed for the positive. Yes, we are still dealing with hate crimes in the United States, but at least we are doing better at controlling these crimes and having consequences for the individuals taking part in them.