NY Times article on recently rediscovered photographs that document the Japanese American internment.
***
Photographs of an Episode That Lives in Infamy
November 6, 2006
By DINITIA SMITH
During the winter of 1942, in the first heated months of America’s war with Japan, the United States government ordered tens of thousands of people of Japanese ancestry, two-thirds of them American citizens, to report to assembly centers throughout the West for transfer to internment camps. The infamous episode has been widely chronicled in books and memoirs, as well as in famous photos by Ansel Adams.
But now close to 800 new images from the period by the photographer Dorothea Lange have been unearthed in the National Archives, where they had lain neglected for a half-century after having been impounded by the government.
Adams portrayed the internees in the now-infamous camp at Manzanar, Calif., in heroic poses, lighted against the backdrop of the majestic Sierra mountains. Lange’s images ― nearly a hundred of which are being published for the first time ― tell a starkly different story.
The pictures in “Impounded” (W. W. Norton) bear the hallmarks of Lange’s distinctive documentary style. (She is best known from her photographs of migrant farmers in the Depression for the Farm Security Administration.) Seemingly unstaged and unlighted, the pictures of the internees compress intense human emotion into carefully composed frames.
“They tell us that conditions in the camps were much worse than most people think,” said Linda Gordon, a historian at New York University who edited the book with Gary Y. Okihiro, a historian at Columbia University. Both also contributed essays.
Lange’s work unflinchingly illustrates the reality of life during this extraordinary moment in American history when about 110,000 people were moved with their families, sometimes at gunpoint, into horse stalls and tar-paper shacks where they endured brutal heat and bitter cold, filth, dust and open sewers.
In his essay Mr. Okihiro describes the atmosphere in which the deportations took place. He quotes from an editorial in The Los Angeles Times from the period: “A viper is nonetheless a viper wherever the egg is hatched ― so a Japanese-American, born of Japanese parents ― grows up to be Japanese, not an American.” Yet, Ms. Gordon said, “The U.S. government had deliberately suppressed reports from F.B.I. and military intelligence that concluded that Japanese-Americans posed no security risk.” The War Relocation Authority hired Lange to document the internments, possibly to demonstrate that the detainees were not being mistreated and international law was not being violated.
But at nearly all of the 21 locations Lange visited, the government tried to restrict her. At the assembly centers and at Manzanar she was not allowed to photograph the wire fences, the watchtowers with searchlights, the armed guards or any sign of resistance. She was discouraged from talking to detainees. At one point she was almost fired when one of her photographs appeared on a Quaker pamphlet denouncing the internment.
Lange, who died in 1965, showed families who had abandoned their homes and property. Because they couldn’t bring their belongings with them, they were often forced to sell them to speculators at reduced prices. In harrowing images that uncomfortably echo the Nazi round-ups of Jews in Europe, Lange’s photographs document long, weaving lines of well-dressed people, numbered tags around their necks, patiently waiting to be processed and sent to unknown destinations.
“There is no way to really know how much they lost,” Mr. Okihiro said in an interview, but he cited a 1983 study commissioned by a Congressional committee estimating that, adjusted for inflation and interest, internees had lost $2.5 billion to $6.2 billion in property and entitlements. Mr. Okihiro writes that one man, Ichiro Shimoda, was so distraught he tried to commit suicide by biting off his own tongue. When that failed, he tried to asphyxiate himself. Finally he climbed a camp fence, and a guard shot him to death.
Another man, Kokubo Takara, died after being forced to stand in line in the rain as a disciplinary measure at Sand Island in Hawaii. At assembly points in Hawaii, Mr. Okihiro writes, some detainees were forced to strip naked and had their body cavities searched.
Upon arrival at the assembly centers ― including the Tanforan Assembly Center in San Bruno, Calif., a former racetrack ― the internees passed through two lines of soldiers with bayonets trained on them. Lange was not allowed to photograph the soldiers, but she did manage some stark images of the horse stalls where the families lived, pictures that are included in the book.
Lange photographed hospital patients in outdoor beds beside latrines, exposed to the elements; children neatly dressed for school, kneeling on the hard floor as they wrote in exercise books, because there were no benches or chairs.
In many of her pictures the subjects look away from the camera, accentuating their sadness and anxiety. Yet Lange also emphasizes the detainees’ essential Americanness: a United States Army volunteer helping his mother and family prepare for their internment, a smiling boy with a baseball bat, another boy reading a comic book.
Somehow these photographs disappeared. Ms. Gordon said historians did not know exactly what happened to them beyond that the Army deposited them in the National Archives. Ms. Gordon said she could only guess at how bitter Lange must have been to witness the disappearance of so much hard work. Both Ms. Gordon and Mr. Okihiro said they were struck by some disturbing parallels between the treatment of Japanese Americans in 1942 and that of Muslims and other American citizens since the attacks of 9/11.
“The Patriot Acts 1 and 2 allow for the suspension of civil liberties not only of undocumented immigrants, but of U.S. citizens,” Mr. Okihiro said. Despite the internments, Mr. Okihiro pointed out, 26,000 Japanese-American men and women served in the United States armed forces. But it was not until the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 that the government formally apologized to the internees.
In shooting the photos of the internees, Lange was determined to produce an accurate record of what she had seen, Ms. Gordon said.
“She deliberately submerged some of her aesthetic principles because she was committed to making a documentary record,” Ms. Gordon said. “She was above all a portrait photographer, interested in the individual. In these photographs she is sometimes ignoring the individual to capture the whole experience. But they always show her beautiful, very classical compositions.”
***
Photographs of an Episode That Lives in Infamy
November 6, 2006
By DINITIA SMITH
During the winter of 1942, in the first heated months of America’s war with Japan, the United States government ordered tens of thousands of people of Japanese ancestry, two-thirds of them American citizens, to report to assembly centers throughout the West for transfer to internment camps. The infamous episode has been widely chronicled in books and memoirs, as well as in famous photos by Ansel Adams.
But now close to 800 new images from the period by the photographer Dorothea Lange have been unearthed in the National Archives, where they had lain neglected for a half-century after having been impounded by the government.
Adams portrayed the internees in the now-infamous camp at Manzanar, Calif., in heroic poses, lighted against the backdrop of the majestic Sierra mountains. Lange’s images ― nearly a hundred of which are being published for the first time ― tell a starkly different story.
The pictures in “Impounded” (W. W. Norton) bear the hallmarks of Lange’s distinctive documentary style. (She is best known from her photographs of migrant farmers in the Depression for the Farm Security Administration.) Seemingly unstaged and unlighted, the pictures of the internees compress intense human emotion into carefully composed frames.
“They tell us that conditions in the camps were much worse than most people think,” said Linda Gordon, a historian at New York University who edited the book with Gary Y. Okihiro, a historian at Columbia University. Both also contributed essays.
Lange’s work unflinchingly illustrates the reality of life during this extraordinary moment in American history when about 110,000 people were moved with their families, sometimes at gunpoint, into horse stalls and tar-paper shacks where they endured brutal heat and bitter cold, filth, dust and open sewers.
In his essay Mr. Okihiro describes the atmosphere in which the deportations took place. He quotes from an editorial in The Los Angeles Times from the period: “A viper is nonetheless a viper wherever the egg is hatched ― so a Japanese-American, born of Japanese parents ― grows up to be Japanese, not an American.” Yet, Ms. Gordon said, “The U.S. government had deliberately suppressed reports from F.B.I. and military intelligence that concluded that Japanese-Americans posed no security risk.” The War Relocation Authority hired Lange to document the internments, possibly to demonstrate that the detainees were not being mistreated and international law was not being violated.
But at nearly all of the 21 locations Lange visited, the government tried to restrict her. At the assembly centers and at Manzanar she was not allowed to photograph the wire fences, the watchtowers with searchlights, the armed guards or any sign of resistance. She was discouraged from talking to detainees. At one point she was almost fired when one of her photographs appeared on a Quaker pamphlet denouncing the internment.
Lange, who died in 1965, showed families who had abandoned their homes and property. Because they couldn’t bring their belongings with them, they were often forced to sell them to speculators at reduced prices. In harrowing images that uncomfortably echo the Nazi round-ups of Jews in Europe, Lange’s photographs document long, weaving lines of well-dressed people, numbered tags around their necks, patiently waiting to be processed and sent to unknown destinations.
“There is no way to really know how much they lost,” Mr. Okihiro said in an interview, but he cited a 1983 study commissioned by a Congressional committee estimating that, adjusted for inflation and interest, internees had lost $2.5 billion to $6.2 billion in property and entitlements. Mr. Okihiro writes that one man, Ichiro Shimoda, was so distraught he tried to commit suicide by biting off his own tongue. When that failed, he tried to asphyxiate himself. Finally he climbed a camp fence, and a guard shot him to death.
Another man, Kokubo Takara, died after being forced to stand in line in the rain as a disciplinary measure at Sand Island in Hawaii. At assembly points in Hawaii, Mr. Okihiro writes, some detainees were forced to strip naked and had their body cavities searched.
Upon arrival at the assembly centers ― including the Tanforan Assembly Center in San Bruno, Calif., a former racetrack ― the internees passed through two lines of soldiers with bayonets trained on them. Lange was not allowed to photograph the soldiers, but she did manage some stark images of the horse stalls where the families lived, pictures that are included in the book.
Lange photographed hospital patients in outdoor beds beside latrines, exposed to the elements; children neatly dressed for school, kneeling on the hard floor as they wrote in exercise books, because there were no benches or chairs.
In many of her pictures the subjects look away from the camera, accentuating their sadness and anxiety. Yet Lange also emphasizes the detainees’ essential Americanness: a United States Army volunteer helping his mother and family prepare for their internment, a smiling boy with a baseball bat, another boy reading a comic book.
Somehow these photographs disappeared. Ms. Gordon said historians did not know exactly what happened to them beyond that the Army deposited them in the National Archives. Ms. Gordon said she could only guess at how bitter Lange must have been to witness the disappearance of so much hard work. Both Ms. Gordon and Mr. Okihiro said they were struck by some disturbing parallels between the treatment of Japanese Americans in 1942 and that of Muslims and other American citizens since the attacks of 9/11.
“The Patriot Acts 1 and 2 allow for the suspension of civil liberties not only of undocumented immigrants, but of U.S. citizens,” Mr. Okihiro said. Despite the internments, Mr. Okihiro pointed out, 26,000 Japanese-American men and women served in the United States armed forces. But it was not until the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 that the government formally apologized to the internees.
In shooting the photos of the internees, Lange was determined to produce an accurate record of what she had seen, Ms. Gordon said.
“She deliberately submerged some of her aesthetic principles because she was committed to making a documentary record,” Ms. Gordon said. “She was above all a portrait photographer, interested in the individual. In these photographs she is sometimes ignoring the individual to capture the whole experience. But they always show her beautiful, very classical compositions.”
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コメント(20)
Wow, how impressive!
Japanese internment camps (or concentration camps as some of us call it) are definitely close to my heart. My grandparents, and their brothers and sisters, as well as their parents, were interned during the war. I am feel grateful that this issue hasn't been forgotten in the history. I hope that we learn from our mistakes, and grow to be more wise, tolerant, and kind to one another.
Japanese internment camps (or concentration camps as some of us call it) are definitely close to my heart. My grandparents, and their brothers and sisters, as well as their parents, were interned during the war. I am feel grateful that this issue hasn't been forgotten in the history. I hope that we learn from our mistakes, and grow to be more wise, tolerant, and kind to one another.
Although my parents grew up in Japan, my grandparents on my father's side lived in Vancouver just prior to the outbreak of World War 2. Sensing the trouble brewing, grandfather packed up and left for Japan, but one of his brothers chose to stay and his family was subsequently interned and dispersed to Ontario.
I've never been able to get much information about the internment from my uncles/second-cousins, and I never found a moment of conversation where I felt comfortable posing any inquiry into what happened. Most of them just soberly try to push those memories into the past, as if speaking of them would open old scars that they'd prefer to think healed.
It's interesting to note some of the perceptual distinctions between a nikkei born in Canada to parents who endured internment, and nikkeis like me whose parents moved to Canada well after it was over. I suppose while I grew up, I may have taken certain rights of citizenship and equality for granted. While spoken or unspoken of, children of interned nikkei had the perpetual cloud of severe mistreatment over their heads to remind them that even in democracy, and especially during times of war, equality and human rights can be extremely fragile things.
I've never been able to get much information about the internment from my uncles/second-cousins, and I never found a moment of conversation where I felt comfortable posing any inquiry into what happened. Most of them just soberly try to push those memories into the past, as if speaking of them would open old scars that they'd prefer to think healed.
It's interesting to note some of the perceptual distinctions between a nikkei born in Canada to parents who endured internment, and nikkeis like me whose parents moved to Canada well after it was over. I suppose while I grew up, I may have taken certain rights of citizenship and equality for granted. While spoken or unspoken of, children of interned nikkei had the perpetual cloud of severe mistreatment over their heads to remind them that even in democracy, and especially during times of war, equality and human rights can be extremely fragile things.
Unfortunately at the time when the internment camps were made it was necessary. What the goverment did wrong is not protect the Japanese peoples homes, and many people destroyed them out of mindless anger. Japanese have strong relationships with their family and people, and the goverment believed they may use American/Japanese as spys. Granted, the possibility was very realistic. Now, we have more human rights so this type of thing can never happen again. I do actually think in our current war the muslum threats are much more scary as American's because they are religiouse radicals. Which basicly means that they leave no room for free thinking and do as their religion states. Which can be scarry when you think about it. In the end you cant really blame the American Goverment for itnernment camps, nihon did infact attack the US, and it was a time of war, hate, and fear.
There's one more interesting thing I'd like to add to this actually. Due to the fact that the Japanese goverment spoke of the American soldiers as animals and said we would torture people, rape, or whatever their people many Japanese people commited suicide when they thought the Americans were coming. The goverment would have rather had everyone kill themselves then for America to win. This brings me to my final point, the bombing on hiroshima was almost a blessing to nihon. The bomb put an end to the war as many people would have died if we did now bomb japan. interesting isn't it? You see, if the war was not ended with the bomb almost everyone or if not all of the Japanese people would not be alive today. They would have all commited suicide in the end.
This is not an issue of cultural tollerance. It's hard to trust the people of a culture who have just atacked you for no reason. You have to understand this.
Now, dont get me wrong I love Japan ALOT. I just also understand history, and I dont blame anyone who was not alive during this war for anyones actions. This is the past, and you can't change that :).
Thanks for reading if you did.
There's one more interesting thing I'd like to add to this actually. Due to the fact that the Japanese goverment spoke of the American soldiers as animals and said we would torture people, rape, or whatever their people many Japanese people commited suicide when they thought the Americans were coming. The goverment would have rather had everyone kill themselves then for America to win. This brings me to my final point, the bombing on hiroshima was almost a blessing to nihon. The bomb put an end to the war as many people would have died if we did now bomb japan. interesting isn't it? You see, if the war was not ended with the bomb almost everyone or if not all of the Japanese people would not be alive today. They would have all commited suicide in the end.
This is not an issue of cultural tollerance. It's hard to trust the people of a culture who have just atacked you for no reason. You have to understand this.
Now, dont get me wrong I love Japan ALOT. I just also understand history, and I dont blame anyone who was not alive during this war for anyones actions. This is the past, and you can't change that :).
Thanks for reading if you did.
>Unfortunately at the time when the internment camps were made it was necessary.
yes much like the rape of Nanking was necessary. The Japanese needed to get rid of those Chinese who had strong family ties and ties to their people. Interesting that there were no internment camps for Italians (who also have strong family ties and a close relation to their people) or Germans.
>What the goverment did wrong is not protect the Japanese peoples homes,
No what the government did wrong was not to protect their own AMERICAN citizens.
>Which basicly means that they leave no room for free thinking and do as their religion states
Islam does not teach violence. The religious radicals are taught by other radicals, not your everyday Muslim.
>In the end you cant really blame the American Goverment for itnernment camps
Yes you can, and the government has attempted to make amends for it (more than you can say about Japan, but that is another story).
>nihon did infact attack the US
yes because the US wanted them to.
>many Japanese people commited suicide when they thought the Americans were coming.
define many- millions, hundreds of thousands, ten of thousands? i think not. You obviously think that all the Japanese backthen (or maybe even now) were lemmings who blindly followed their emperor and Gen. Tojo.
>This brings me to my final point, the bombing on hiroshima was almost a blessing to nihon
then you must think that Nagasaki was just gravy on top of that. Or the bombings of Tokyo, that killed many more civilians than both atomic bombs. These were all great for Japan! Man, they should ahve dropped another dozen atomic bombs in Japan. I actually don't disagree with your statement that Hiroshima was overall beneficial for ending the war quickly. Hiroshima may have been an eye opener to the Japanese government, but that does not explain Nagasaki.
>You see, if the war was not ended with the bomb almost everyone or if not all of the Japanese people would not be alive today. They would have all commited suicide in the end.
This is the part I disagree with. Most people would not have commited suicide. You are out of your mind. MOst people are rational. Most Japanese citizens accepted defeat when it came around.
>This is not an issue of cultural tollerance. It's hard to trust the people of a culture who have just atacked you for no reason. You have to understand this.
There were very good reasons for the Japanese to attack the US (at least on the part of the Japanese) and the US government wanted the fight.
yes much like the rape of Nanking was necessary. The Japanese needed to get rid of those Chinese who had strong family ties and ties to their people. Interesting that there were no internment camps for Italians (who also have strong family ties and a close relation to their people) or Germans.
>What the goverment did wrong is not protect the Japanese peoples homes,
No what the government did wrong was not to protect their own AMERICAN citizens.
>Which basicly means that they leave no room for free thinking and do as their religion states
Islam does not teach violence. The religious radicals are taught by other radicals, not your everyday Muslim.
>In the end you cant really blame the American Goverment for itnernment camps
Yes you can, and the government has attempted to make amends for it (more than you can say about Japan, but that is another story).
>nihon did infact attack the US
yes because the US wanted them to.
>many Japanese people commited suicide when they thought the Americans were coming.
define many- millions, hundreds of thousands, ten of thousands? i think not. You obviously think that all the Japanese backthen (or maybe even now) were lemmings who blindly followed their emperor and Gen. Tojo.
>This brings me to my final point, the bombing on hiroshima was almost a blessing to nihon
then you must think that Nagasaki was just gravy on top of that. Or the bombings of Tokyo, that killed many more civilians than both atomic bombs. These were all great for Japan! Man, they should ahve dropped another dozen atomic bombs in Japan. I actually don't disagree with your statement that Hiroshima was overall beneficial for ending the war quickly. Hiroshima may have been an eye opener to the Japanese government, but that does not explain Nagasaki.
>You see, if the war was not ended with the bomb almost everyone or if not all of the Japanese people would not be alive today. They would have all commited suicide in the end.
This is the part I disagree with. Most people would not have commited suicide. You are out of your mind. MOst people are rational. Most Japanese citizens accepted defeat when it came around.
>This is not an issue of cultural tollerance. It's hard to trust the people of a culture who have just atacked you for no reason. You have to understand this.
There were very good reasons for the Japanese to attack the US (at least on the part of the Japanese) and the US government wanted the fight.
">Unfortunately at the time when the internment camps were made it was necessary.
yes much like the rape of Nanking was necessary. The Japanese needed to get rid of those Chinese who had strong family ties and ties to their people. Interesting that there were no internment camps for Italians (who also have strong family ties and a close relation to their people) or Germans."
- I dont agree obviousely, Japanese people especially at this time showed clearly that they dont mix with other culutres and that they're very close. Italians and Germans mix alot, and this is undeniable especially in America many people have german and Italaian blood in them. Even today Japanease still show a tight bond and dont mix with other cultures, this is so obvious it's frightening in a sense. America was just scared at the time obviousely.
">What the goverment did wrong is not protect the Japanese peoples homes,
No what the government did wrong was not to protect their own AMERICAN citizens."
- Even the article says Japanese Americans were raised Japanese not American. They generally didn't consider themselves American persay. Are you saying that it was right for the goverment to not PROTECT THEIR MONEY AND PROPERTY WHILE THEY WERE IN THE CAMP WHICH IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN A TERRIBLE CASE AS THIS. (just so I make sure you read that part, caps)
">Which basicly means that they leave no room for free thinking and do as their religion states
Islam does not teach violence. The religious radicals are taught by other radicals, not your everyday Muslim."
- You are ignorant, the koran basicly preaches the was muslums convert peopel into go into areas populate the area the take over the goverment, they attack the country and convert by threating to kill anyone who does not convert. The Koran is only alloud to be read in Arabic by the muslum people, but MUSLUMS DONT READ ARABIC ;O. Their leaders dictate to them what it says these people who you say are radicals are these dictators. If your mroe interested in this subject i can elaberate over e-mail for you, but I was using this as only an example for this conversation.
">In the end you cant really blame the American Goverment for itnernment camps
Yes you can, and the government has attempted to make amends for it (more than you can say about Japan, but that is another story)."
- You cant blame Americans to be afraid of Japan when they they were teamed up with Nazi germany, and killed millions of Chinese and experimenting on their still alive bodys with chemicals (look it up in real life not on the internet thank you)
">nihon did infact attack the US
yes because the US wanted them to."
- This is ridiculous. The only thing America did was stop their supply lines because they were killing millions of chinese.
">many Japanese people commited suicide when they thought the Americans were coming.
define many- millions, hundreds of thousands, ten of thousands? i think not. You obviously think that all the Japanese backthen (or maybe even now) were lemmings who blindly followed their emperor and Gen. Tojo."
- I've seen videos of them jumping off the cliffs ... sad really. You took out the part where I said their goverment basicly told their people American soldiers would rape, torture and muder them anyway. America has never or willever attack and kill innocent people.
">This brings me to my final point, the bombing on hiroshima was almost a blessing to nihon
then you must think that Nagasaki was just gravy on top of that. Or the bombings of Tokyo, that killed many more civilians than both atomic bombs. These were all great for Japan! Man, they should ahve dropped another dozen atomic bombs in Japan. I actually don't disagree with your statement that Hiroshima was overall beneficial for ending the war quickly. Hiroshima may have been an eye opener to the Japanese government, but that does not explain Nagasaki."
- Well, it was war. My point was that the bomb prevented even more deaths. The bomb was clearly the last resort.
">You see, if the war was not ended with the bomb almost everyone or if not all of the Japanese people would not be alive today. They would have all commited suicide in the end.
This is the part I disagree with. Most people would not have commited suicide. You are out of your mind. MOst people are rational. Most Japanese citizens accepted defeat when it came around."
- Their goverment lied to them they thought suicide was betetr than torture or rape. Do you understand now?
">This is not an issue of cultural tollerance. It's hard to trust the people of a culture who have just atacked you for no reason. You have to understand this.
There were very good reasons for the Japanese to attack the US (at least on the part of the Japanese) and the US government wanted the fight."
The reason was that we cut their supply line, I understand that. The US will not just stand by and let anyone kill innocent people. Most Japanese people didn't and still dont know about it, but like I said Nihon was killing millions of chinese. IT WAS A WAR!
Like I said before. I love Japan immensely, I also want to live there one day. What I say is through pure logic and studying history. Japanese is one of my majors in college, and I have alot of Japanese friends. Instead of being angry about things I say look them up and try to learn the history and facts. I f your interested about more then e-mail me please. ryu.nagai@hotmail.com
yes much like the rape of Nanking was necessary. The Japanese needed to get rid of those Chinese who had strong family ties and ties to their people. Interesting that there were no internment camps for Italians (who also have strong family ties and a close relation to their people) or Germans."
- I dont agree obviousely, Japanese people especially at this time showed clearly that they dont mix with other culutres and that they're very close. Italians and Germans mix alot, and this is undeniable especially in America many people have german and Italaian blood in them. Even today Japanease still show a tight bond and dont mix with other cultures, this is so obvious it's frightening in a sense. America was just scared at the time obviousely.
">What the goverment did wrong is not protect the Japanese peoples homes,
No what the government did wrong was not to protect their own AMERICAN citizens."
- Even the article says Japanese Americans were raised Japanese not American. They generally didn't consider themselves American persay. Are you saying that it was right for the goverment to not PROTECT THEIR MONEY AND PROPERTY WHILE THEY WERE IN THE CAMP WHICH IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN A TERRIBLE CASE AS THIS. (just so I make sure you read that part, caps)
">Which basicly means that they leave no room for free thinking and do as their religion states
Islam does not teach violence. The religious radicals are taught by other radicals, not your everyday Muslim."
- You are ignorant, the koran basicly preaches the was muslums convert peopel into go into areas populate the area the take over the goverment, they attack the country and convert by threating to kill anyone who does not convert. The Koran is only alloud to be read in Arabic by the muslum people, but MUSLUMS DONT READ ARABIC ;O. Their leaders dictate to them what it says these people who you say are radicals are these dictators. If your mroe interested in this subject i can elaberate over e-mail for you, but I was using this as only an example for this conversation.
">In the end you cant really blame the American Goverment for itnernment camps
Yes you can, and the government has attempted to make amends for it (more than you can say about Japan, but that is another story)."
- You cant blame Americans to be afraid of Japan when they they were teamed up with Nazi germany, and killed millions of Chinese and experimenting on their still alive bodys with chemicals (look it up in real life not on the internet thank you)
">nihon did infact attack the US
yes because the US wanted them to."
- This is ridiculous. The only thing America did was stop their supply lines because they were killing millions of chinese.
">many Japanese people commited suicide when they thought the Americans were coming.
define many- millions, hundreds of thousands, ten of thousands? i think not. You obviously think that all the Japanese backthen (or maybe even now) were lemmings who blindly followed their emperor and Gen. Tojo."
- I've seen videos of them jumping off the cliffs ... sad really. You took out the part where I said their goverment basicly told their people American soldiers would rape, torture and muder them anyway. America has never or willever attack and kill innocent people.
">This brings me to my final point, the bombing on hiroshima was almost a blessing to nihon
then you must think that Nagasaki was just gravy on top of that. Or the bombings of Tokyo, that killed many more civilians than both atomic bombs. These were all great for Japan! Man, they should ahve dropped another dozen atomic bombs in Japan. I actually don't disagree with your statement that Hiroshima was overall beneficial for ending the war quickly. Hiroshima may have been an eye opener to the Japanese government, but that does not explain Nagasaki."
- Well, it was war. My point was that the bomb prevented even more deaths. The bomb was clearly the last resort.
">You see, if the war was not ended with the bomb almost everyone or if not all of the Japanese people would not be alive today. They would have all commited suicide in the end.
This is the part I disagree with. Most people would not have commited suicide. You are out of your mind. MOst people are rational. Most Japanese citizens accepted defeat when it came around."
- Their goverment lied to them they thought suicide was betetr than torture or rape. Do you understand now?
">This is not an issue of cultural tollerance. It's hard to trust the people of a culture who have just atacked you for no reason. You have to understand this.
There were very good reasons for the Japanese to attack the US (at least on the part of the Japanese) and the US government wanted the fight."
The reason was that we cut their supply line, I understand that. The US will not just stand by and let anyone kill innocent people. Most Japanese people didn't and still dont know about it, but like I said Nihon was killing millions of chinese. IT WAS A WAR!
Like I said before. I love Japan immensely, I also want to live there one day. What I say is through pure logic and studying history. Japanese is one of my majors in college, and I have alot of Japanese friends. Instead of being angry about things I say look them up and try to learn the history and facts. I f your interested about more then e-mail me please. ryu.nagai@hotmail.com
>- I dont agree obviousely, Japanese people especially at this time showed clearly that they dont mix with other culutres and that they're very close. Italians and Germans mix alot, and this is undeniable especially in America many people have german and Italaian blood in them. Even today Japanease still show a tight bond and dont mix with other cultures, this is so obvious it's frightening in a sense. America was just scared at the time obviousely.
There are more little Italies all over the US, than little Tokyos. Italians stick together moreso than other European counterparts.
I think the US didn't have Italian camps at the time becuase it was easier to have Japanese internment camps because they are easier to identify (ie race). It was all part of the propaganda machine.
Even the article says Japanese Americans were raised Japanese not American. They generally didn't consider themselves American persay. Are you saying that it was right for the goverment to not PROTECT THEIR MONEY AND PROPERTY WHILE THEY WERE IN THE CAMP WHICH IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN A TERRIBLE CASE AS THIS. (just so I make sure you read that part, caps)
The important part here is the word American. No matter what they thought, they were Americans. You can kick out non-citizens at a time of war, I can understand that (not really, but is more undertandable), but they were Americans. One of the most decorated units in WWII was a Japanese-American unit, go figure. It was never the right thing to do and the government has tried to mane amends.
> You are ignorant, the koran basicly preaches the was muslums convert peopel into go into areas populate the area the take over the goverment, they attack the country and convert by threating to kill anyone who does not convert. The Koran is only alloud to be read in Arabic by the muslum people, but MUSLUMS DONT READ ARABIC ;O. Their leaders dictate to them what it says these people who you say are radicals are these dictators. If your mroe interested in this subject i can elaberate over e-mail for you, but I was using this as only an example for this conversation.
Show me where in the Koran it states this. It is interesting you mention that Muslims (the correct spelling is Muslim, not Muslum) don't speak Arabic, since the largest Muslim population is in Indonesia.
>You cant blame Americans to be afraid of Japan when they they were teamed up with Nazi germany, and killed millions of Chinese and experimenting on their still alive bodys with chemicals (look it up in real life not on the internet thank you)
Please cite your references then. I read the Rape of Nanking. I've read various books on WWII. Interesting that the US did not do anything about Nanking until way after (happened in 1937) but supply lines were cut off many years afterwards. Your notion that the US cut off supply lines due to crimes against humanity are way off base.
">nihon did infact attack the US
yes because the US wanted them to."
- This is ridiculous. The only thing America did was stop their supply lines because they were killing millions of chinese.
This is wrong.
- I've seen videos of them jumping off the cliffs ... sad really. You took out the part where I said their goverment basicly told their people American soldiers would rape, torture and muder them anyway. America has never or willever attack and kill innocent people.
The first video thing- This is a small percentage of fanatics.
The government is of course going to say that the enemy is vile. You don't get far by saying that the enemy will enbrace you with open arms. Look at the propaganda the US was churning out during WWII about the Japanese.
The fact that you say AMerica will enver attack or kill innocents indicates pure ignorance. THe US backed Saddam originally. Think about the "secret' war in Indochina or Laos. Think about the things that just happened in Gitmo. Yeah, the US doesn'at attack innocents...
>- Well, it was war. My point was that the bomb prevented even more deaths. The bomb was clearly the last resort.
Once again how did Hiroshima prevent Nagasaki?
- Their goverment lied to them they thought suicide was betetr than torture or rape. Do you understand now?
Then why didn't they all kill themselves after the official surrender?
>
The reason was that we cut their supply line, I understand that. The US will not just stand by and let anyone kill innocent people. Most Japanese people didn't and still dont know about it, but like I said Nihon was killing millions of chinese. IT WAS A WAR
IT WAS A WAR, therefore it was a good reason to attack the US if the supply lines are cut. YOu don't think that the US government knew that by doing that, they invited the war in the Pacific. Roosevelt knew about Pearl Harbor before it happened. It was a calculated casualty.
The thing is I am not angry t the least bit. Hence no personal attacks or anything of the sort. It is that the history I understand and have read and researched does not jive with any of your comments.
There are more little Italies all over the US, than little Tokyos. Italians stick together moreso than other European counterparts.
I think the US didn't have Italian camps at the time becuase it was easier to have Japanese internment camps because they are easier to identify (ie race). It was all part of the propaganda machine.
Even the article says Japanese Americans were raised Japanese not American. They generally didn't consider themselves American persay. Are you saying that it was right for the goverment to not PROTECT THEIR MONEY AND PROPERTY WHILE THEY WERE IN THE CAMP WHICH IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN A TERRIBLE CASE AS THIS. (just so I make sure you read that part, caps)
The important part here is the word American. No matter what they thought, they were Americans. You can kick out non-citizens at a time of war, I can understand that (not really, but is more undertandable), but they were Americans. One of the most decorated units in WWII was a Japanese-American unit, go figure. It was never the right thing to do and the government has tried to mane amends.
> You are ignorant, the koran basicly preaches the was muslums convert peopel into go into areas populate the area the take over the goverment, they attack the country and convert by threating to kill anyone who does not convert. The Koran is only alloud to be read in Arabic by the muslum people, but MUSLUMS DONT READ ARABIC ;O. Their leaders dictate to them what it says these people who you say are radicals are these dictators. If your mroe interested in this subject i can elaberate over e-mail for you, but I was using this as only an example for this conversation.
Show me where in the Koran it states this. It is interesting you mention that Muslims (the correct spelling is Muslim, not Muslum) don't speak Arabic, since the largest Muslim population is in Indonesia.
>You cant blame Americans to be afraid of Japan when they they were teamed up with Nazi germany, and killed millions of Chinese and experimenting on their still alive bodys with chemicals (look it up in real life not on the internet thank you)
Please cite your references then. I read the Rape of Nanking. I've read various books on WWII. Interesting that the US did not do anything about Nanking until way after (happened in 1937) but supply lines were cut off many years afterwards. Your notion that the US cut off supply lines due to crimes against humanity are way off base.
">nihon did infact attack the US
yes because the US wanted them to."
- This is ridiculous. The only thing America did was stop their supply lines because they were killing millions of chinese.
This is wrong.
- I've seen videos of them jumping off the cliffs ... sad really. You took out the part where I said their goverment basicly told their people American soldiers would rape, torture and muder them anyway. America has never or willever attack and kill innocent people.
The first video thing- This is a small percentage of fanatics.
The government is of course going to say that the enemy is vile. You don't get far by saying that the enemy will enbrace you with open arms. Look at the propaganda the US was churning out during WWII about the Japanese.
The fact that you say AMerica will enver attack or kill innocents indicates pure ignorance. THe US backed Saddam originally. Think about the "secret' war in Indochina or Laos. Think about the things that just happened in Gitmo. Yeah, the US doesn'at attack innocents...
>- Well, it was war. My point was that the bomb prevented even more deaths. The bomb was clearly the last resort.
Once again how did Hiroshima prevent Nagasaki?
- Their goverment lied to them they thought suicide was betetr than torture or rape. Do you understand now?
Then why didn't they all kill themselves after the official surrender?
>
The reason was that we cut their supply line, I understand that. The US will not just stand by and let anyone kill innocent people. Most Japanese people didn't and still dont know about it, but like I said Nihon was killing millions of chinese. IT WAS A WAR
IT WAS A WAR, therefore it was a good reason to attack the US if the supply lines are cut. YOu don't think that the US government knew that by doing that, they invited the war in the Pacific. Roosevelt knew about Pearl Harbor before it happened. It was a calculated casualty.
The thing is I am not angry t the least bit. Hence no personal attacks or anything of the sort. It is that the history I understand and have read and researched does not jive with any of your comments.
長井竜>- Even the article says Japanese Americans were raised Japanese not American. They generally didn't consider themselves American persay. Are you saying that it was right for the goverment to not PROTECT THEIR MONEY AND PROPERTY WHILE THEY WERE IN THE CAMP WHICH IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN A TERRIBLE CASE AS THIS. (just so I make sure you read that part, caps)
The article was quoting a LA Times editorial written during the time of the internment. The full quote:
“A viper is nonetheless a viper wherever the egg is hatched ― so a Japanese-American, born of Japanese parents ― grows up to be Japanese, not an American.”
I don't see how anyone can misunderstand this statement as anything but racist and incredibly prejudiced. The comparison of Japanese people to vipers? Ridiculous.
It's a well documented fact that many white farmers along the West Coast, but especially California, were jealous of the success of Japanese Americans in the farm industry. These farmers, with the aid of other groups, pressed for "internment" as a backdoor way to seize Japanese American farms and properties. The US government bowed to the pressure from racist and nativist groups, and had no serious intention about protecting Japanese American property.
From a logical statement, it was stupid for the US government to do so. The country was already mobilizing for war, and the removal of a vital part of the West Coast farming community made shortages of food and other agricultural products even worst.
As Japanese people not being "real Americans". Well, go back to the NY Times article. Two-thirds of them were US citizens, and most of the remaining one-third, were Issei who were BARRED BY US LAW from becoming citizens.
Sorry to say "長井竜", but your "understanding of history" needs work.
The article was quoting a LA Times editorial written during the time of the internment. The full quote:
“A viper is nonetheless a viper wherever the egg is hatched ― so a Japanese-American, born of Japanese parents ― grows up to be Japanese, not an American.”
I don't see how anyone can misunderstand this statement as anything but racist and incredibly prejudiced. The comparison of Japanese people to vipers? Ridiculous.
It's a well documented fact that many white farmers along the West Coast, but especially California, were jealous of the success of Japanese Americans in the farm industry. These farmers, with the aid of other groups, pressed for "internment" as a backdoor way to seize Japanese American farms and properties. The US government bowed to the pressure from racist and nativist groups, and had no serious intention about protecting Japanese American property.
From a logical statement, it was stupid for the US government to do so. The country was already mobilizing for war, and the removal of a vital part of the West Coast farming community made shortages of food and other agricultural products even worst.
As Japanese people not being "real Americans". Well, go back to the NY Times article. Two-thirds of them were US citizens, and most of the remaining one-third, were Issei who were BARRED BY US LAW from becoming citizens.
Sorry to say "長井竜", but your "understanding of history" needs work.
I figure that because "Japanese" Americans were easier to distinguish from the rest of "white" America, and because Japan was the singular enemy in the Pacific, it became much easier to publicly swallow the idea of internment for Japanese Americans. The idea that Italians or Germans were not interned because they "mix" more with the rest of America is pretty weak. It's not so much social/genetic "mixing" but the simple fact that asians, in this case Japanese descent Americans, are easier to pick out of a white crowd, that this happened.
I tend to agree with cohiba's idea that the American government wanted to pick a fight with Japan at that time because it was more than confident it would win. It's sort of interesting to note that the American carrier fleet, (which was certainly the most strategically important division of the US navy and the primary target for the Japanese attack), was not at its regular station in the harbour but elsewhere conducting exercises. Coincidence might not be ruled out, but it does raise a few eyebrows in the direction of what fore-knowledge the higher-ups in the government had.
☆James> Weren't they called "concentration" camps because of the population density produced by taking a lot of people from many areas and putting them in one camp? Exterminations don't necessarily play a factor in this labelling.. methinks..
長井竜> The Japanese military did some pretty horrific things in asia during WW2, but what happened to Japanese Americans was not exactly fair treatment for American citizens, even if it was a time of war. Your assessment that all the Japanese would have fought to the last man or committed suicide borders on ludicrous. There was a large part of the Japanese population that despised what the war was doing to their country, and many of them prayed for early surrender. Of course, you won't hear commentary like that on the American daily news, or the Japanese daily news for that matter. Propoganda was aimed at achieving government agenda's on both sides of the Pacific.
I tend to agree with cohiba's idea that the American government wanted to pick a fight with Japan at that time because it was more than confident it would win. It's sort of interesting to note that the American carrier fleet, (which was certainly the most strategically important division of the US navy and the primary target for the Japanese attack), was not at its regular station in the harbour but elsewhere conducting exercises. Coincidence might not be ruled out, but it does raise a few eyebrows in the direction of what fore-knowledge the higher-ups in the government had.
☆James> Weren't they called "concentration" camps because of the population density produced by taking a lot of people from many areas and putting them in one camp? Exterminations don't necessarily play a factor in this labelling.. methinks..
長井竜> The Japanese military did some pretty horrific things in asia during WW2, but what happened to Japanese Americans was not exactly fair treatment for American citizens, even if it was a time of war. Your assessment that all the Japanese would have fought to the last man or committed suicide borders on ludicrous. There was a large part of the Japanese population that despised what the war was doing to their country, and many of them prayed for early surrender. Of course, you won't hear commentary like that on the American daily news, or the Japanese daily news for that matter. Propoganda was aimed at achieving government agenda's on both sides of the Pacific.
it doesn't mean literally that Japanese are vipers, it actually could have used anything besides a viper. A child is usually a product of their parents beliefs that's undeniable. "real American Citizens" in the obvious sense that Japanese people generally dont mix with other cultures another undeniable fact.
We should have protected their property and money I've already said that it was wrong... about twice now?
Well no offence, but correct me if i'm wrong I sincerely doubt that it would effect our aggricult too much. It might some, but nothing tremendousely tragic.
I've shown my understanding of actual history and not almost non-related to the subject information. When you have something to actually say, and not something from a history book rather than someones agenda on a magazine let me know. I just dont understand why you choose to insult me by me just supplying information. Instead of acting on your anger and hate why dont we look at the facts?
Japanese Allie with the Nazi's and kill millions of Nazi's.
We block their supplys.... good reasoning I would think...
Japanese attack pearl harbor.
Scared Americans in a sate of war BEFORE HUMAN RIGHTS create an internment camp. Due to the realization that Japanese people dont mix with other cultures and are more obliged to be on Japans side rather than America's. This makes complete sence I mean look at them even today. Japan has far more Japanese than anything else.
(I am not saying the way if bad at all the Japanese were treated in these camps is justified at all. Infact an y bad treatment to them is immoral and wrong in my mind. Again I ask you to keep in mind my love for Japan so please do not get me wrong)
I cant think of anything else I need to say right now so I'll just go off of what the next person says I suppose.... I'd appreciate logic over hateful hurtful posts because that helps no one in understanding this subject which to me is important.
cohiba- I cant find what parts of your quotes are yours and what's mine. I also dont think other people can understand it either so please be careful. such states as "this is wrong" are not helpful. Explain why? Your trying to say that the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese is ridiculous btw.
We should have protected their property and money I've already said that it was wrong... about twice now?
Well no offence, but correct me if i'm wrong I sincerely doubt that it would effect our aggricult too much. It might some, but nothing tremendousely tragic.
I've shown my understanding of actual history and not almost non-related to the subject information. When you have something to actually say, and not something from a history book rather than someones agenda on a magazine let me know. I just dont understand why you choose to insult me by me just supplying information. Instead of acting on your anger and hate why dont we look at the facts?
Japanese Allie with the Nazi's and kill millions of Nazi's.
We block their supplys.... good reasoning I would think...
Japanese attack pearl harbor.
Scared Americans in a sate of war BEFORE HUMAN RIGHTS create an internment camp. Due to the realization that Japanese people dont mix with other cultures and are more obliged to be on Japans side rather than America's. This makes complete sence I mean look at them even today. Japan has far more Japanese than anything else.
(I am not saying the way if bad at all the Japanese were treated in these camps is justified at all. Infact an y bad treatment to them is immoral and wrong in my mind. Again I ask you to keep in mind my love for Japan so please do not get me wrong)
I cant think of anything else I need to say right now so I'll just go off of what the next person says I suppose.... I'd appreciate logic over hateful hurtful posts because that helps no one in understanding this subject which to me is important.
cohiba- I cant find what parts of your quotes are yours and what's mine. I also dont think other people can understand it either so please be careful. such states as "this is wrong" are not helpful. Explain why? Your trying to say that the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese is ridiculous btw.
Why is your statement wrong? The US did not stop supply lines to stop the Japanese from killing Chinese. If this were the case they would ahve done it long before 1941 (as I stated, Nanking happened in 1937. The spheres of influence in China was set up in the 1920's.) All this happened well before any type of sanction. To think that the US acted t stop Japan from killing is propaganda at best. What was the real reason? Japan was becoming too "big" for the US. Japan controled the wedtern half of the Pacific at that point. It was a threat to the US and it needed to be stopped. Not because the Japanese were killing Chinese, but because Japan was becoming too big of a threat. That is why you are wrong.
I never said the attack on Pearl Harbor was deserved. It made sense. Now you argue that the supply lines were cut off because the Japanese were killing Chinese. But I argue that supply lines were cut off for drastically different regions. So, while I understand why you might think I said "the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese" but that would be an incorrect interpretation.
I never said the attack on Pearl Harbor was deserved. It made sense. Now you argue that the supply lines were cut off because the Japanese were killing Chinese. But I argue that supply lines were cut off for drastically different regions. So, while I understand why you might think I said "the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese" but that would be an incorrect interpretation.
長井竜>A child is usually a product of their parents beliefs that's undeniable. "real American Citizens" in the obvious sense that Japanese people generally dont mix with other cultures another undeniable fact.
I'm not sure what support you bring to the table regarding your opinion about Japanese Americans or Japanese people generally not mixing with other cultures. Calling it an undeniable fact when you have less than tenuous evidence doesn't lend any credibility to your idea.
Is a new "Italian" or "German" immigrant a "real" American? You're defining "American" on some pretty wacky parameters.
長井竜>Your trying to say that the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese is ridiculous btw.
I can't understand what de heck you're trying to say in that above statement.. cohiba implied nothing of what you suggest he said as far as I can tell.. clarify?
I'm not sure what support you bring to the table regarding your opinion about Japanese Americans or Japanese people generally not mixing with other cultures. Calling it an undeniable fact when you have less than tenuous evidence doesn't lend any credibility to your idea.
Is a new "Italian" or "German" immigrant a "real" American? You're defining "American" on some pretty wacky parameters.
長井竜>Your trying to say that the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese is ridiculous btw.
I can't understand what de heck you're trying to say in that above statement.. cohiba implied nothing of what you suggest he said as far as I can tell.. clarify?
cohiba - the japanese were killing chinese, korean, vietamese all of them, they wanted to dominate the world lol. For Japan to even think they could take America is ridiculous in it's own. They have to have "big heads" to even fantom this possiblitie. Or maybe...even... a lil crazy XD just a joke... Japan was never "too big" for America lol.
"Japan controled the wedtern half of the Pacific at that point." - because they were slaughtering the chinese, korean, vietamese and sorry to any other races i missed that they were killing roflao. Seriousely now I wonder WHY THEY HAD IT UNDER CONTROL. Ity's not that they were a threat it was that they were killing innocent people... dont you understand>?
"But I argue that supply lines were cut off for drastically different regions. So, while I understand why you might think I said "the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese" but that would be an incorrect interpretation." - Maybe this is missorganized, but I dont understand it at all.
"I'm not sure what support you bring to the table regarding your opinion about Japanese Americans or Japanese people generally not mixing with other cultures. Calling it an undeniable fact when you have less than tenuous evidence doesn't lend any credibility to your idea." - Mixing as in THEY DONT HAVE BABYS WITH OTHER RACES GENERALLY. PLAIN ENOUGH FOR YOU? LOL. It's obvious look at Japanese culture then get back to me. This is not everyone, but a very high eprcentage obv.
"Is a new "Italian" or "German" immigrant a "real" American? You're defining "American" on some pretty wacky parameters. " - when I say American I consider Americans people who were born and raised in America. A german immigrant is a german. I think this makes sense? Just like if i went to Japan I would be considered American. I think that's a reasonable statement.
"I can't understand what de heck you're trying to say in that above statement.. cohiba implied nothing of what you suggest he said as far as I can tell.. clarify?" - quote me and i'll simplify it for ya :D
"Japan controled the wedtern half of the Pacific at that point." - because they were slaughtering the chinese, korean, vietamese and sorry to any other races i missed that they were killing roflao. Seriousely now I wonder WHY THEY HAD IT UNDER CONTROL. Ity's not that they were a threat it was that they were killing innocent people... dont you understand>?
"But I argue that supply lines were cut off for drastically different regions. So, while I understand why you might think I said "the attack on pearl harbor was deserved because we stoped japan from killing chinese" but that would be an incorrect interpretation." - Maybe this is missorganized, but I dont understand it at all.
"I'm not sure what support you bring to the table regarding your opinion about Japanese Americans or Japanese people generally not mixing with other cultures. Calling it an undeniable fact when you have less than tenuous evidence doesn't lend any credibility to your idea." - Mixing as in THEY DONT HAVE BABYS WITH OTHER RACES GENERALLY. PLAIN ENOUGH FOR YOU? LOL. It's obvious look at Japanese culture then get back to me. This is not everyone, but a very high eprcentage obv.
"Is a new "Italian" or "German" immigrant a "real" American? You're defining "American" on some pretty wacky parameters. " - when I say American I consider Americans people who were born and raised in America. A german immigrant is a german. I think this makes sense? Just like if i went to Japan I would be considered American. I think that's a reasonable statement.
"I can't understand what de heck you're trying to say in that above statement.. cohiba implied nothing of what you suggest he said as far as I can tell.. clarify?" - quote me and i'll simplify it for ya :D
長井竜>I think you need to stop claiming everything you say are "facts" when it's clear that they're your opinions and not facts.
Case in point:
>"I'm not sure what support you bring to the table regarding your opinion about Japanese Americans or Japanese people generally not mixing with other cultures. Calling it an undeniable fact when you have less than tenuous evidence doesn't lend any credibility to your idea." - Mixing as in THEY DONT HAVE BABYS WITH OTHER RACES GENERALLY. PLAIN ENOUGH FOR YOU?
Wrong. From recent US Census data:
http://www.proudasianamerican.com/images/Tables/US%20Census%202000%20Tables/RS-F99-2000US-A.gif
Only 29% of Japanese American women are married to other Japanese Americans. Your "facts" about Japanese people not "mixing" is certifiably wrong and statistics prove it.
As Guchi pointed out, Japanese Americans were easy targets as they were visibly non-white. Yes, war hysteria helped to fuel attacks on Japanese Americans but your claim that placing Japanese Americans in camps was "necessary" is ridiculous. The internment camps did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help the US win the war and in January of 1945 (BEFORE the end of the war with Japan), the US government began quietly closing the internment camps and sending people away when it realized that not only was it a mistake, it was huge hypocrisy for a nation claiming to fight for freedom to imprison its own citizens without due process, trials, or convictions.
Case in point:
>"I'm not sure what support you bring to the table regarding your opinion about Japanese Americans or Japanese people generally not mixing with other cultures. Calling it an undeniable fact when you have less than tenuous evidence doesn't lend any credibility to your idea." - Mixing as in THEY DONT HAVE BABYS WITH OTHER RACES GENERALLY. PLAIN ENOUGH FOR YOU?
Wrong. From recent US Census data:
http://www.proudasianamerican.com/images/Tables/US%20Census%202000%20Tables/RS-F99-2000US-A.gif
Only 29% of Japanese American women are married to other Japanese Americans. Your "facts" about Japanese people not "mixing" is certifiably wrong and statistics prove it.
As Guchi pointed out, Japanese Americans were easy targets as they were visibly non-white. Yes, war hysteria helped to fuel attacks on Japanese Americans but your claim that placing Japanese Americans in camps was "necessary" is ridiculous. The internment camps did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help the US win the war and in January of 1945 (BEFORE the end of the war with Japan), the US government began quietly closing the internment camps and sending people away when it realized that not only was it a mistake, it was huge hypocrisy for a nation claiming to fight for freedom to imprison its own citizens without due process, trials, or convictions.
>Guchi
Hahaha! ^.^
>長井竜
I'm sorry, but I have to ask where you're getting these 'facts' of yours. Remember, history always favors the victor (i.e. it's the victor's account of incidents that usually make the history books.) Even if something is found in a textbook or learned in a classroom, there is still always the taint of bias on it. If you're interested in a subject, read the historical accounts by multiple sources. I'm sure you'll find that there are discrepancies in history as you know it. ^.^
Hahaha! ^.^
>長井竜
I'm sorry, but I have to ask where you're getting these 'facts' of yours. Remember, history always favors the victor (i.e. it's the victor's account of incidents that usually make the history books.) Even if something is found in a textbook or learned in a classroom, there is still always the taint of bias on it. If you're interested in a subject, read the historical accounts by multiple sources. I'm sure you'll find that there are discrepancies in history as you know it. ^.^
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