Japanese internment camps

Discussion in 'Others' started by Heng, Apr 1, 2006.

  1. Heng

    Heng Junior Member

    The internment of U.S. citizens of Japanese decent was justified on the basis that they were a risk to relay secrets that could harm the U.S. army and regular I do not agree with the internment camps for Japanese Americans. I feel that imprisoning a person based on their national origin is never justified. During the World War II, many Japanese Americans were moved from their homes on the west coast of the United States and imprisoned in relocation camps for three years. Relocation left many Americans with a legacy of shame.

    Regards
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I can't remember his name but in Canada a decorated Veteran the CEF of WW1 was interned in WW2 because we was of Japanese origin.
    I'll check it out later but that was so wrong to do thatto him.
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    I can't remember his name but in Canada a decorated Veteran the CEF of WW1 was interned in WW2 because we was of Japanese origin.
    I'll check it out later but that was so wrong to do thatto him.

    Government.

    You just cannot figure!
     
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    The one I'm thinking of is Private Mitsui MM 10th Bn CEF.
    Thousands of Japenese-Canadians were interned and many of them were WW1 veterans. Mitsui lost his poultry farm near Port Coquitlam, confiscated by the Government. Mitsui threw his Medals at the Inducting Officer shouting "What good are these?" He died in 1987 aged 100, bitter to the end.
    (source Gallant Canadians by Daniel Dancocks.)
     
  5. morse1001

    morse1001 Very Senior Member

    Britian at the start of the war had in place laws regarding the movements and registration of aliens, which resulted in many people of foriegn birth being confined to camps. the problem with was that it locked many who would have been useful to the war effort.
     
  6. Kitty

    Kitty Very Senior Member

    That's true, but within a year weren't they they releasing those who were useful and who truly wanted to aid the Allies? It was only those who they still had suspicions about that stayed in the camps, notably the Isle of Man.
    But that Japanese offficer in Canada is disgusting.
     
  7. morse1001

    morse1001 Very Senior Member

    That's true, but within a year weren't they they releasing those who were useful and who truly wanted to aid the Allies? It was only those who they still had suspicions about that stayed in the camps, notably the Isle of Man.
    But that Japanese offficer in Canada is disgusting.

    it was the fact that they took so long to weed out the suspicious ones.This meant that their expertise was denied to the allies and more importantly could have caused some disaffection in them.
     
  8. Herakles

    Herakles Senior Member

    Sons of these same interned Japanese formed a regiment that gave great service in Europe during WW2.

    It was a great many years later that the American Govt. paid these people some sort of reparation.

    To put this matter into perspective, it should be noted that American Negroes were not allowed to serve either for some time.
     
  9. militarycross

    militarycross Very Senior Member

    To put this matter into perspective, it should be noted that American Negroes were not allowed to serve either for some time.

    I watched the movie on these lads again the other night. Just as inspiring as the first time I saw it. I really enjoyed the moment when Eleanor R. goes for a ride with one of the pilots of the squadron.

    Tuskegee Airmen - Facts about the First Black Pilots in WW2
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    To put this matter into perspective, it should be noted that American Negroes were not allowed to serve either for some time.


    They were allowed to serve in WW2 but the units were selective and all black or commanded by white officers. This goes back to (I'm a cousin from across the water confirm better) the American Civil War.

    Ref to the original post I stumbled on a webste yesterday that had American Japanese in a American unit fighting in Italy...

    Bit more info about a unit:
    442nd Infantry Regiment (United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    21 Medals of honor awarded too!
     
  11. Bob Guercio

    Bob Guercio Senior Member

    The internment of U.S. citizens of Japanese decent was justified on the basis that they were a risk to relay secrets that could harm the U.S. army and regular I do not agree with the internment camps for Japanese Americans. I feel that imprisoning a person based on their national origin is never justified. During the World War II, many Japanese Americans were moved from their homes on the west coast of the United States and imprisoned in relocation camps for three years. Relocation left many Americans with a legacy of shame.

    Regards


    An argument could have been made that this was justified if the government had initiated the whole thing. However, the movement started from the people and went up to the government. The government then implemented what the people wanted. And of course the people were emotional, panic stricken and bent on vengeance over Pearl Harbor.
     
  12. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    This is certainly a hard subject to disect 68 years after the fact when you try to impose today's moralities upon it.

    I think there are reasonable arguments on both sides of the fence on this subject.

    Fear makes people do strange things.
     
  13. A-58

    A-58 Not so senior Member

    The Japanese nationals and Japanese-Americans that were re-located to the internment camps were only from the states bordering the Pacific Ocean. Those living elsewhere were not affected by the order. Before internment, those forced to move were given the opportunity to re-locate to the interior with relatives or friends. Of course at that time, most of Japanese ancestry were concentrated in Hawaii and the other Pacific states, so very few were able to choose the alternative given them by the government.

    I'm not saying that the edict was a good thing, but as my distinguished collegue Formerjughead+ pointed out, the fear and uncerntainty of the early days of our involvement in the war paved the way for such action. There were a lot of things done that were not exactly right, but neccessity, whether real or perceived, dictated immediate action. To put it in todays language, "it was the thing to do at the time."
     
  14. Bob Guercio

    Bob Guercio Senior Member

    I'm not saying that the edict was a good thing, but as my distinguished collegue formerjughead+ pointed out, the fear and uncerntainty of the early days of our involvement in the war paved the way for such action. There were a lot of things done that were not exactly right, but neccessity, whether real or perceived, dictated immediate action. To put it in todays language, "it was the thing to do at the time."

    One hundred percent correct on this one.

    However, today in looking back we realize that it was the wrong thing to do.

    This monday morning quarterbacking is good because it could help us not to make the same mistake again.
     

Share This Page