Jennifer Smith
Socials 10
March 16, 2023
Japanese Internment
During World War II, Japanese-Canadians and Canadian soldiers captured by the Japanese
experienced unfair and inhumane treatment. Japanese-Canadians were interned in camps and
not allowed to enter British Columbia until 1949, while Canadian soldiers captured by the
Japanese in Hong Kong were subjected to brutal treatment and forced labor. This essay will
compare and contrast the treatment of Japanese-Canadians with the treatment of Canadian
soldiers in Hong Kong, and examine whether the redress payment made to
Japanese-Canadians should have been given to the surviving Canadian prisoners of war
instead.
The treatment of Japanese-Canadians and Canadian soldiers captured by the Japanese was
similar in that both groups were subjected to harsh living conditions. Japanese-Canadians were
forced to live in cramped and unsanitary conditions in internment camps, while Canadian
soldiers in Hong Kong were crammed into small and overcrowded prisoner-of-war camps. Both
groups were also stripped of their basic rights and freedoms, and subjected to constant
surveillance and scrutiny. For example, Japanese-Canadians were forced to carry identification
cards and report to authorities regularly, while Canadian soldiers in Hong Kong were subjected
to brutal interrogations and torture.
However, the treatment of Japanese-Canadians and Canadian soldiers captured by the
Japanese differed in several ways. Japanese-Canadians were interned based solely on their
ethnicity, while Canadian soldiers in Hong Kong were captured while fighting for their country.
Moreover, while Japanese-Canadians were able to return to Canada and their homes after the
war, many Canadian soldiers died in captivity or suffered lifelong physical and psychological
injuries. The treatment of Japanese-Canadians was also more systematic and institutionalized,
with the Canadian government enacting policies to intern Japanese-Canadians, while the
treatment of Canadian soldiers in Hong Kong was more random, and dependent on the whims
of individual Japanese soldiers and commanders.
A payment of $21,000 made to Japanese-Canadians who were interned during World War II
raises questions about whether this money should have been given to the surviving Canadian
prisoners of war instead. While the Canadian government's apology and compensation to
Japanese-Canadians was a step towards acknowledging the harm caused by its policies, it is
important to note that the surviving Canadian prisoners of war also experienced significant
trauma and hardship. However, the payment to surviving Canadian prisoners of war would not
be practical or feasible, since many of them have already passed away, and it would be difficult
to determine who qualifies for compensation. Instead, the Canadian government could explore
other ways to honor and commemorate the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers in Hong Kong,
such as creating a memorial or supporting organizations that advocate for veterans' rights. In
addition, should the Japanese not give money to those Canadian prisoners of war as an
apology?
Jennifer Smith
Socials 10
March 16, 2023
Japanese-Canadians and Canadian soldiers captured by the Japanese were both treated
cruelly, their times were marked by trauma and hardships. There were similarities between the
two groups, such as harsh living conditions and loss of basic rights and freedoms, there were
also differences, such as the reasons behind their imprisonment and internment. The payment
to the Japanese-Canadians also raises questions, especially for/about whether the surviving
Canadian POWs should also receive something, but their sacrifice could be honored in other
ways, too.