WWIIs Impact on Japanese Americans

Introduction
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, many West Coast Americans turned their anger against
Japanese Americans. Newspapers printed rumors about Japanese spies in the Japanese American
communities. Members of Congress, mayors, and many business and labor leaders demanded that all
people of Japanese ancestry be removed from the West Coast. They did not believe that Japanese
Americans would remain loyal to the United States in the face of war with Japan. On February 19, 1942,
President Roosevelt gave in to pressure and signed an executive order allowing the War Department to
declare parts of the US Military Zones. In a military zone, the military could remove any people that it felt
were a threat to national security. Secretary of War Henry Stimson declared most of the West Coast a
military zone and ordered all the people of Japanese ancestry to evacuate into 10 internment or relocation
camps.
The Notice (edited)

WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND AND FOURTH ARMY WARTIME CIVIL CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
Presidio of San Francisco, California
April 1, 1942
INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL PERSONS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY
Living in the Following Area:
All that portion of the City and County of San Francisco, lying generally west of the of the north-south line established by Junipero Serra
Boulevard, Worchester Avenue, and Nineteenth Avenue, and lying generally north of the east-west line established by California Street, to the
intersection of Market Street, and thence on Market Street to San Francisco Bay.

All Japanese persons, both alien and non-alien, will be evacuated from the above designated area by 12:00 oclock
noon Tuesday, April 7, 1942.

No Japanese person will be permitted to enter or leave the above described area after 8:00 a.m., Thursday, April 2,
1942, without obtaining special permission from the Provost Marshal at the Civil Control Station located at:
1701 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, California

The Civil Control Station is equipped to assist the Japanese population affected by this evacuation in the following
ways:
1. Give advise and instructions on the evacuation.
2. Provide services with respect to the management, leasing, sale, storage or other disposition of most kinds
of property including real estate, business and professional equipment, household goods, boats,
automobiles, livestock, etc.
3. Provide temporary residence elsewhere for all Japanese in family groups.
4. Transport persons and a limited amount of clothing and equipment to their new residence as specified
below.

The Following Instructions Must Be Observed:

1. A responsible member of each family, preferably the head of the family, or the person in whose name most
of the property is held, and each individual living alone must report to the Civil Control Station to receive further
instructions. This must be done between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Thursday, April 2, 1942, or between 8:00 a.m. and 5
p.m., Friday, April 3, 1942.

2. Evacuees must carry with them on departure for the Reception Center, the following property:
a. Bedding and linens (no mattress) for each member of the family.
b. Toilet articles for each member of the family.
c. Extra clothing for each member of the family.
d. Sufficient knives, forks, spoons, plates, bowls and cups for each member of the family.
e. Essential personal effects for each member of the family.
All items carried will be securely packaged, tied and plainly marked with the name of the owner and
numbered in accordance with instructions received at the Civil Control Station.
The size and number of packages is limited to that which can be carried by the individual or family
group.
No contraband items as described in paragraph 6, Public Proclamation No. 3, Headquarters Western
Defense Command and Fourth Army, dated March 24, 1942, will be carried.
 J. L. DeWITT
Lieutenant General, U. S. Army
Commanding

Daily Life in the Internment Camps

Life was challenging for Japanese Americans living inside the internment camps.
Read the quote and letter below and look at the photographs to learn more about what daily life was like in the
camps.

Quote: We saw all these people behind the fence, looking out, hanging onto the wire, and looking
out because they were anxious to know who was coming in. But I will never forget the shocking
feeling that human beings were behind this fence like animals [crying]. And we were going to also
lose our freedom and walk inside of that gate and find ourselvescooped up therewhen the gates
were shut, we knew that we had lost something that was very precious; that we were no longer
free."
--Mary Tsukamoto

Children and adults had to stand in line for many things, including eating and going to the bathroom. How do you feel
when you have to wait in a long line at the movies or at an amusement park?

A Letter From Inside A Camp

January 6, 1942
Dear Miss Breed
In my last letter I said the fence was torn down -- well, it is up again. This time a few feet further out. We have
been told that the reason for the fence building was so the cattle won't come near our homes. In other words cattle
is going to be grazed outside the fence. But as yet, we have not seen any. Yes, I think the fence tends to weaken the
morale of the people. . . . .
We now have oil stoves in our homes and school. But it does little good because you have to be near the
stove in order to receive any heat. By keeping all the windows closed the room may become warm, but we were
warned against it. Several people have been sent to the hospital because they did not leave any windows open --
they inhaled the fume which comes out of the stove. In school the stove is in one corner and I am in the opposite
corner so the warmth does not come near me. It certainly took a long time to get the stoves because of too much
red tape involved. We still have no books to study out of. We are taught the progressive way. It is like a lecture form.
The teacher talks and we take notes. When test time comes we have to study our notes. I hope by next semester we
will be able to study from books. . . . .
As time marches on, more and more Poston seems like a home to me. After leaving home for a visit to Camp
1 or 2, it certainly feels good to be home again. No longer is the thought of being in a camp afloat in my mind. But
every time I see the fence, it seems like a dark cloud has lifted and a realization of camp life comes before my eyes.
Often I use to think as I laid on my pillow, What will happen to be if I had to live in this camp for 5 year?" but now, I
don't seem to think about camp. I guess I have adopted myself to this situation. But many a time, I have wished with
all my heart that I could go back to San Diego. . . .
The apt. is divided into 4 units. There is no closet or chest of drawers to keep our clothes in. Father made a
closet to put our clothes in. We keep just the necessary amount hung in the closet. The rest is still packed in our
suitcases.
Yes, the food shortage has affected us. We have had no butter or egg for about two months. We have enough meat,
though. Just tonite we had steak, mash potato, spinach and rice for supper. Oh yes, about the menu for a week. I am
sorry I did not send it to you. To be honest -- it slipped my mind. But this time I shall be sure to keep the menu for a
week and send it to you just as soon as a week is up. We are allowed 1 tablespoon of sugar to 1 cup of coffee. We
eat rice only once a day now. We have fresh milk. It comes all the way from California. We have tea too but it is
black. Yes, Mr. Anderson does wear a wig. Margaret noticed today that he has no eyebrows. Could this be possible?

Most sincerely,
Louise Ogawa [excerpt from letter to Miss Breed, from Louise Ogawa, Japanese American National Museum]