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Hostility grew into hatred and hysteria after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As a result of these prejudices and fears, the government decided to remove all “aliens” from the West Coast. On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the Secretary of War to establish military zones on the West Coast and remove “any or all persons” from such zones. Although officials initially told foreign-born Italians and Germans to move away from the coast, his order was canceled within a few months.
The government set up the War Relocation Authority to move out everyone of Japanese ancestry to be interned, or confined, In camps In remote areas far from the coast. Relocation took place so fast that Japanese Americans had little time to secure their property before they left. Many lost their businesses, farms, homes, and other valuable assets. They had no Idea where they were going or how long they would be gone. All of the camps were located In desolate areas.
Families lived In wooden barracks covered with tar paper, in rooms equipped only with cots, blankets, and a light bulb. People had to share a toilet, bathing, and dining facilities. Barbed wire surrounded the camps, and armed guards patrolled the grounds. Although the government referred to these as relocation camps, one Journalist pointed out that they seemed “uncomfortably close to concentration camps. ” *Source: America: Pathways to the Present Written Response
Directions: use the Information above to compare and contrast Japanese Internment In America with the Holocaust in Europe. Your response must include the following: Introductory paragraph that answers the following questions: 1 . What are you writing about?