American Japanese Internment

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The United States of America is no stranger to war. Throughout history, many Americans gave their lives for this country. America has been involved in many conflicts ranging from our first colonial settlers fighting amongst the Native Americans, to present day conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. War has also brought our country together; however, it also has divided this great nation. During these wars certain American races have been caught in the crossfire. The ethnic groups range from Native Americans during the Indian Wars, to the treatment of African Americans during and after the Civil War. In this paper, I want to focus on World War II. Everyone knows what went on in Europe and the Pacific Ocean, but I want to focus on the treatment of Japanese-American after Pearl Harbor. Although many people know about the mistreatment of Native Americans and African Americans, consequently many Americans overlook the mistreatment of Japanese Americans on our own soil.

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan...As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense...With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God." That speech was addressed to the nation by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt the day after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Shortly after, America entered WWII and anti-Japanese hysteria struck like the Bubonic Plague. At the time over 120,000 Japanese-Americans lived in the US, and about 110,000 resided in the West Coast. About 80,000 were ...

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...aid out to survivors. Long legal battles were fought to see which Japanese American received what amount. Sites of the former detainee camps were declared historical landmarks to stand as reminders that our nation failed to protect all of our citizens. Once again America apologized through the means of money.

Works Cited

"Pearl Harbor Speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt." TeachingAmericanHistory.org -- Free Seminars and Summer Institutes for Social Studies Teachers. Web. 09 Apr. 2011.

Shaffer, R. (1999). Opposition to Internment: Defending Japanese American Rights During World War II. Historian, 61(3), 597. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Robinson, G. (2010). A Tragedy of Democracy: Japanese Confinement in North America. Journal of Transnational American Studies, 2(1), 1-8. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

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