SUMMARY of the Japanese Relocation and Internment in the US during WWII
Summary by Bill Hopwood (USN-retired)
Forward
During the course of our efforts to bring justice, recognition and compensation to the victims of Japan's transgressions and brutality in WWII, we are often asked about the above subject. Much of the info bantered about is frequently mis-information and sometimes revisionist in nature.
I'm passing this along as a snippet to retain so that you will have some basic information on the subject of the Relocation Act of 1942. We agree that it was a sad chapter in our history and the US Government atoned for their actions by various legislation passed by the US Congress in 1948, 1952 and in 1988.
The point I would like to make is that the treatment by the U.S. in the treatment of those interned in the U.S. during WWII is very, very different than the treatment received by all who were captured and interned by Japan in the Pacific during the war. Any comparison is ludicrous.
The second point I would like to make is that the U.S. handled the backlash of the Relocation in an honest, honorable, responsible and just fashion. They issued a U.S. Government apology and paid two forms of compensation.
Shouldn't Japan do the same for those THEY interned in WWII?
Summary
During World War II, approximately 11,000 resident aliens of Japanese descent were interned in Department of Justice camps as enemy aliens. These were persons who had been considered threats to national security. Families were allowed to accompany them on a voluntary basis. Here they resided side-by-side with German and Italian internees and their American families.
In addition to these internments, approximately 114,000 others of Japanese descent, both alien and citizen, were evacuated from West Coast military areas because there was well-founded doubt as to the loyalty of an unidentified number of persons among them.
These persons were not "interned" but were evacuated and [temporarily] relocated.
During the war those relocated persons who had been cleared as to their loyalty were urged to leave the relocation centers to accept outside employment or to attend colleges in locations away from the military zones from which they had been excluded. Over 30,000 did so.
About 60% of the ADULTS who were evacuated were Japanese nationals (enemy aliens) and most of the remaining 40% ADULTS were dual-citizens (U.S./Japanese). The remaining U.S.citizens among the evacuees were minor children.
The government made arrangements to lease business properties of the evacuees with proceeds being held in trust for them. Personal property which could not be carried by the evacuees was stored at government expense. Every effort was made by the War Relocation Authority, which operated the relocation centers, to make the evacuee families as comfortable as possible under the wartime conditions. The centers had schools, hospitals, banks, stores, churches, recreational facilities, and social functions.
Residents who wanted to work were employed in the centers and paid wages comparable to the wages received by military personnel.
No charges were made for housing or board.
During the war, disturbances instigated by anti-U.S, pro-Japan elements at the relocation centers necessitated the segregation of 18,000 persons of Japanese descent, over half being U.S. citizens, into a special camp for disloyals at Tule Lake [Segregation Center], California. Here a large segment of such persons held regular drills and demonstrations in support of Emperor Hirohito. From this group came over 13,000 applications for renunciation of U.S. citizenship.
In January, 1945, well before the war with Japan was over, the West Coast military exclusion zones were lifted and the residents could return to their former homes, except for those at the Tule Lake Segregation Center.
Most of the latter were held until after war's end [then as they had given up their U.S. Citizenship, were many were deported to Japan].
Many of the evacuees suffered losses despite the government effort to keep such losses to a minimum. Because of this, Congress passed the Evacuation Claims Act in 1948 and over 26,000 claims were paid.In addition to this compensation, in 1988, over the objections of the Department of Justice, Congress passed into law a controversial measure which compensated ALL ethnic Japanese internees and evacuees still living for having been evacuated or interned. Compensation included payments to:
- Former enemy aliens now living in Japan
- U.S. citizens who, during the war renounced their U.S. citizenship
- U.S. born children of Japanese diplomats who went home to Japan during the war
- Japanese-Americans who renounced their U.S.citizenship in wartime
- Over 6,000 babies born in the relocation centers during the war
The compensation was $20,000 each, along with an apology from the United States government.
No payments were made to German and Italian persons and their American families who were interned in the same Dept. of Justice internment camps as were the Japanese internees.
William.J.Hopwood
Member, Board of Advisors
The Center for Internee Rights
