Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 20, 2016 11:49:54 GMT -5
On Feb 19th 1942 President Roosevelt signed an executive order demanding that person's of Japanese decent living on the West Coast would go to designated locations carrying only suitcases and be incarcerated in hastily built,tarpaper prisons spread out in the US. (Mostly in remote desert locations in the West) The order stated if they were 1/5th or more Japanese and irregardless if they were US citizens the rule applied to them. No greater case of unconstitutional behavior can be referenced in our history. The motive was racism and hysteria. Had the same rules applied to the decendants of all our enemies Frank Sinatra and Eisenhower would have been Interned.
These families lost their homes,farms businesses and had to disrupt their educations and careers. Ironically the rule did not apply in Hawaii as the Japanese population was so high it wasn't economically feasible. In Hawaii an all Japanese unit was formed which later expanded to volunteers from the camp's to form the famous 442nd Infantry Regiment which ultimately incurred the highest casualty rate and the most combat decorations of any American unit of its size. All of my wife's uncles aunts and grandparents were Intered and five of her uncles served in the 442nd and fought in Italy and France. All but one were wounded at least once! Their motto was "Go For Broke". Inspite of this unconstitutional treatment and institutional racism, they loved America and wanted to prove themselves. They ended the war in most cases economically broke with no homes, jobs and limited prospects. Through quiet discipline,family,hard work and education they are perhaps the most prosperous ethnic groups in our country? All accomplished in two generations since being robbed of everything they owned! An amazing accomplishment.
Following the Internment as a people they made the tragic decision NOT to teach their children Japanese so very few Japanese Americans under 60 speak Japanese beyond a few words. It can be said that to an extent even their heritage was taken from them. Sad,sad, chapter in American history. I see Muslim Americans today and wonder if we have really learned from our mistakes?
These families lost their homes,farms businesses and had to disrupt their educations and careers. Ironically the rule did not apply in Hawaii as the Japanese population was so high it wasn't economically feasible. In Hawaii an all Japanese unit was formed which later expanded to volunteers from the camp's to form the famous 442nd Infantry Regiment which ultimately incurred the highest casualty rate and the most combat decorations of any American unit of its size. All of my wife's uncles aunts and grandparents were Intered and five of her uncles served in the 442nd and fought in Italy and France. All but one were wounded at least once! Their motto was "Go For Broke". Inspite of this unconstitutional treatment and institutional racism, they loved America and wanted to prove themselves. They ended the war in most cases economically broke with no homes, jobs and limited prospects. Through quiet discipline,family,hard work and education they are perhaps the most prosperous ethnic groups in our country? All accomplished in two generations since being robbed of everything they owned! An amazing accomplishment.
Following the Internment as a people they made the tragic decision NOT to teach their children Japanese so very few Japanese Americans under 60 speak Japanese beyond a few words. It can be said that to an extent even their heritage was taken from them. Sad,sad, chapter in American history. I see Muslim Americans today and wonder if we have really learned from our mistakes?