Mr. J. Nelzen
AMH 2020
Fall 2021
An Oral History Essay (Part I) and Personal Reaction (Part II)
Introduction
The United States is said to be a country that thrives and boasts of its ability to fight for the human rights of all and sundry. However, there are a number of communities within the American society that would say otherwise, as a result of what they have undergone while under the same government that ought to be protecting them or through what others that they may know may have undergone under the same government. To see how the human rights of the Japanese American people were affected, it is important to view this through the lenses of those that experienced, how that affected their view of human rights and where they stand after all is said and done. On this note, this essay will look at the experiences of the Japanese Americans who fell into incarceration camps in the hands of the American government and how this came about, as well as looking at their lives later, while adding a personal reflection from these experiences.
The experiences of the Japanese Americans were motivated by the rivalry between Japan and the United States. The attack on Pearl Harbor, however, was the starting point of the alienation of the Japanese Americans from the rest of the American society. Both countries were interested in the Pacific, but seeing that America had great military strength over the Pacific, Japan saw an opportunity to weaken this strength and as a way of preventing America from interfering in its military actions in the Southeast of Asia. It was a prevention mechanism against the American stronghold in the pacific since Japan was interested in expanding into Malaya and the pacific. A few months later, the American government saw this as a direct attack on its own and opted for alienation of the Japanese Americans from military areas through directing them to inland internment camps as an implementation of the Executive Order 9066 (History.com editors). They too, were viewed as enemies. It is said that this decision was a way of the president caving into pressure from his advisors and military personnel, while also taking on the mantle to do whatever it took to win the war with the Japanese. Unfortunately, the innocent Japanese Americans who were separate from the Japanese responsible for the bombing, ended up suffering the consequences in internment camps. Unfortunately, the consequences were far-reaching. 389
Body
The treatment of people of Japanese descent in America following the bombing of Pearl Harbor has long been a historical issue that ties back to matters racial discrimination. This is due to the actions of some Japanese people being assumed to be an issue of all people of Japanese descent. The Japanese Americans in the United States were treated inhumanely to a point of being thrown into internment camps due to being alluded to have been behind the bombing. The government took this action without bothering to prove their innocence in the matter. To date, people who lived through these experiences or those who may have known those who went through such experiences still live through the horrors from back then through interviews and other platforms. The Pearl Harbor was bombed in December of 1941 while the movement of Japanese Americans to internment camps kicked off early in 1942. This meant leaving all that they had acquired behind or managing to get away with just a few items.
A number of people of Japanese descent were able to be interviewed on their experiences during the period following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Gordon Hirabayashi is one such person. He had been born into a Christian family and had gone through the University of Washington. From his interview, he had been planning to move to a different seal crew, only to receive communication that any kind of drafting of people of Japanese descent had been revoked at the time as they were being moved to internment camps (ddr.densho.org, segments 15). During the movement period of Japanese Americans to internment camps, he was one of the people who were against such orders as well as the curfews imposed on Japanese Americans. For this, he served time for violation of set orders on top of serving time as a draft resister. The convictions were eventually upheld and the convictions vacated forty years after the war.
Kara Kondo is yet another interviewee who experienced life as a Japanese American after the bombing of the Pearl Harbor. She, together with her parents, was sent to an assembly center, as one of the camps in which Japanese Americans were being sent. From her interview, she describes how the rooms that they were allocated were small, lacking a roof and windows and with just four walls. They would sleep on straw-filled bags as mattresses. At the same time, she describes how her parents handled their change of life better than their children did. She also describes her memories from the assembly center. She circles back to sounds of the doors closing as well as the sounds of dishes in the kitchen. Her mind also recalls the smell of food being prepared which would give them an idea of what would be served for the day. On top of this, there were smells of pine salt and manure (ddr.densho.org, segment 27). This was because the American government had decided to convert animal sheds to internment camps for the Japanese Americans. She was part of the camp’s newspaper team and while sitting at the balcony, she would see lights faraway as well as hear music and vehicles moving. Unfortunately, this was a reminder that they had been imprisoned and they were not allowed to interact with the outside in a normal way. She was one of the people who testified during the redress following their incarceration and she remained active in matters environment.
The final interviewee was Masao Watanabe. As a high school graduate, he was also affected as a Japanese American. He was one of those who had been directed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, having been fair grounds now converted to camps. Unfortunately, the assembly center was named Camp Harmony, contrary to the experiences of the Japanese Americans who were sent there (ddr.densho.org, segment 15). This center was formally an animal shed as in the case of Kara Kondo’s experience. Contrary to what the Constitution had stated as human rights for the United States citizens, Camp Harmony did not come close to serving democracy and liberty to these Japanese Americans. This incarceration went against every belief they had as Americans.
To analyze this, there are a number of similarities and differences that can be identified among the three interviewees. One similarity among them is that they all identified the fact that the American government had detained them for having Japanese descent. They were all aware that they prisoners of the American government. Secondly, they all acknowledge they were living in filthy camps, even going further as to point out the fact that these camps had previously been animal sheds now converted to camps. When talking about the differences, Gordon had served with the seals and was among those who were revolting against Japanese Americans being treated differently than the rest of the Americans. Kara, Masao and their families seem to have lived a low-key lifestyle while at camp. The other difference is that they had been stationed in different camps around the United States. Looking at them as primary sources of information from that period of history, it is clear that the United States was acting differently than it was preaching, especially in line with human rights for all and the fight against racial discrimination. When push came to shove, fellow Japanese Americans were treated like enemies, they were not heard and were incarcerated without proof, including children.
Conclusion
To summarize, it is clear that the lives of Japanese Americans took a turn following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and especially when the United States government could easily find a community to blame for the misdeeds of another country. The Japanese Americans underwent cruelty and unfair experiences that no one in a democratic country ought to undergo. At the same time, it is clear that the American government at the time did not practice what it preached. It went against the Constitution as a way of proving that it could win the war. In the end, the Japanese Americans required to be taken back to their initial better state or have their lives improved entirely equal to the level of suffering that they underwent.
Personal Reflection
Introduction
Japanese Americans underwent a lot after the Pearl Harbor bombing. It is especially to note that their lives were difficult at this time. They were discriminated against because people who hailed from the same mother country caused havoc in the United States. This reflection will detail new things learned about Japanese Americans, significance acquired from the topic, and reactions to their experiences.
Body
From accessing the materials detailing the experiences of the Japanese Americans around 1942, a number of things can be identified. What can be learned from this is that the history of the Japanese Americans is painful and unwelcoming by the American government, which ought not to be the case for a democratic country (TED-Ed, 2019). The Japanese Americans have upright values so much so that they are still dedicated to the country that showed betrayal towards them and they ended being patriotic to a point of serving in the same positions that were used against them in various capacities. It is important to note that at the brink of war, nations may end up forgetting their own and only have the needs of those at the top catered to, even if it means their own suffering in the process as can be seen in the case of Japanese Americans. The American government has more dedication towards winning a war with outsiders than it has towards its own, which puts the lives of its own at risk.
The difference between first-generation and second-generation Japanese Americans is that the first-generation believed in remaining meek to avoid ruffling feathers while the second-generation believe in remaining bold on what they stand for. If I were to get into a camp at wartime, I would consider having no more freedom and hopefully, rally others into fighting for our freedom and rights (TEDxKyoto, 2014). In the event that different people were put into internment camps, seeing that it still is possible to happen, I think that people would rally against this and support to each other to ensure freedom for all (ddr.densho.org, n.d.). People would fight for better access to more contact with them and people would have better opportunities today to have their voices heard. I would be involved in support and rescue efforts to the best of my ability.
Conclusion
To summarize, a lot can be learned about Japanese Americans just from their earlier experiences as well as being able to identify significances just from those experiences and applying them today. If the same were to happen today, there would be greater support for human rights and democracy and liberty for all and sundry, as per the Constitution.
Bibliography
History.com editors (2009, Nov.). FDR orders Japanese Americans into internment camps. History. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-signs-executive-order-9066Ddr.densho.org (n.d.). Masao Watanabe Segment 15, Kara Kondo Interview Segment 27, Gordon Hirabayashi Interview II Segment 15. Densho Digital Repository. https://ddr.densho.org/
TED-Ed (2019, Oct.). Ugly History: Japanese American incarceration camps – Densho. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI4NoVWq87MTEDxKyoto (2014, Jun.). Why I love a country that once betrayed me. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/george_takei_why_i_love_a_country_that_once_betrayed_me?language=en#t-922006
