Quote:
Originally Posted by FoldnDark
the US had been sneak attacked and pulled into a WW, so it probably wasn't too terrible an idea to mistrust Japanese people living in the US
No spying or sabotage to speak of were ever connected to the Nisei community, so the concentration camps were totally pointless. I believe it included pretty much everybody in continental US.
It was just racial hysteria and maybe an effort by Washington to appear like it was doing something and hype the war effort.
Japanese of Hawaii were not rounded up, I think because they were so integral to the island. If there were a real security issue, that would be the place to take action -- the remaining Pacific bastion.
California racial politics was a big part of it. Pure greed, seizing property.
The "sneak" attack wasn't. FDR expected war since summer when he cut off most of Japan's oil. Several days before Pearl, right after emergency diplomacy halted, the Pacific forces were warned war was imminent. It's just that no one expected such a large attack so far east.
There really was a constituency of fascist sympathizers among German-Americans, but nothing like that among Japanese. Yet no mass roundups of the Krauts or Italians. So it was totally racial.
I know less about conditions within the camps. My impression is it was degrading and ugly and they lost their homes and businesses, but not deadly, for the most part.
There's a radio interview out there somewhere with George Takei, it would be informative.
Last edited by Bill Haywood; 08-05-2013 at 07:33 PM.