Core Question:
How were Japanese Americans affected by Executive Order 9066?
Author: Donna Pitts
School: Carrigan Intermediate School
District: West Haven
Overview:
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. It catapulted the United States fully into
World War II. After the bombing, there was a surge of fear that Japan was using spies within the US
to aid their war efforts, therefore causing a threat to national security. This fear spurred the US to
declare its ability to “relocate” any Japanese Americans to areas outside the Pacific military zone.
The result was internment or relocation camps.
Document Summary:
Document 1 shows Executive Order 9066 from President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the
attack on Pearl Harbor. The document gives orders to relocate any person or people that could pose
a threat to national security. However, nowhere in the document does it say the individuals have to
be or should be of Japanese ancestry. How, then, were the Japanese specifically targeted and why?
Document 2 is a letter from Louise Ogawa to Miss Clara Breed, Children's Librarian at the San Diego
Public Library. Miss Breed kept in contact with many of her children that came into the library. The
letter gives many different perspectives and insights into the lives of children and adults who lived in
the camps. Much can be learned about daily life, education, holidays, food shortages, etc.
Document 3 is an image that shows Japanese American men voluntarily enlisting for the military, in
spite of the fact that their families and friends are in relocation camps. What does this tell students
about how the Japanese Americans felt at this time?
Document 4 shows Public Law 100-383 from 1988. It formally apologizes to Japanese Americans for
the way they were treated and offers financial restitution. Additionally, the document offers to try to
prevent such occurrences from happening again. Has this actually prevented such occurrences?
Procedure:
Narrativization (where does a textbook begin to tell the story, where does it end it?)
TEXTBOOK SELECTION –
Harcourt Horizons United States History Unit 7, Chapter 15, p.562-563
Japanese Americans
The war changed people’s lives. It also led to terrible problems for
Japanese Americans. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, about
125,000 Japanese Americans lived in the United States. Most had been
born there and were citizens. The attack on Pearl Harbor had shocked
them as much as anyone else.
After Pearl Harbor, however, anger against Japanese Americans grew.
Some United States military officials believed that Japanese Americans
might even help Japan invade the United States.
In February 1942, President Roosevelt ordered the army to put about
110,000 Japanese Americans in what were called relocation camps.
Japanese Americans had to wear identification tags, and they had to sell
their homes, businesses, and belongings. They were moved to relocation
camps in California, Arizona, Wyoming, Arkansas, and Idaho.
While their families and friends were in the relocation camps, more
than 17,000 Japanese Americans served in the army. Most became
members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
DOCUMENT PACKET
Document 1
Issued by President Franklin Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, this order authorized the
evacuation of all persons deemed a threat to national security from the West Coast to
relocation centers further inland. In the next 6 months, over 100,000 men, women, and
children were moved to assembly centers. They were then evacuated to and confined
in isolated, fenced, and guarded relocation centers, known as internment camps.
EXECUTIVE ORDER
AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF WAR TO PRESCRIBE MILITARY AREAS
WHEREAS the successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection
against espionage and against sabotage to national-defense material, national-defense
premises, and national-defense utilities, as defined in Section 4, Act of April 20, 1918,
40 Stat. 533, as amended by the Act of November 30, 1940, 54 Stat. 1220, and the Act
of August 21, 1941, 55 Stat. 655 (U. S. C., Title 50, Sec. 104):
NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United
States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct
the Secretary of War and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time
designate, whenever he or any other designated Commander deems such action
necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as
he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, which from any and all
persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter,
remain in, or leave will be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the
appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of War is
hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who are excluded there
from, such transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be
necessary, in the judgment of the Secretary of War or the said Military Commander,
and until other arrangements are made, to accomplish the purpose of this order. The
designation of military areas in any region will supersede designations of prohibited
and restricted areas by the Attorney General under the Proclamations of December 7
and 8, 1941, and will supersede the responsibility and authority of the Attorney General
under the said Proclamations in respect of such prohibited and restricted areas.
I hereby further authorize and direct the Secretary of War and the said Military
Commanders to take such other steps as he or the appropriate Military Commander
may deem advisable to enforce compliance with the restrictions applicable to each
Military area hereinabove authorized to be designated, including the use of Federal
troops and other Federal Agencies, with authority to accept assistance of state and
local agencies.
I hereby further authorize and direct all Executive Departments, independent
establishments and other Federal Agencies, to assist the Secretary of War or the said
Military Commanders in carrying out this Executive Order, including the furnishing of
medical aid, hospitalization, food, clothing, transportation, use of land, shelter, and
other supplies, equipment, utilities, facilities, and services.
This order will not be construed as modifying or limiting in any way the authority
granted under Executive Order No. 8972, dated December 12, 1941, nor will it be
construed as limiting or modifying the duty and responsibility of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, with respect to the investigation of alleged acts of sabotage or the duty
and responsibility of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice under the
Proclamations of December 7 and 8, 1941, prescribing regulations for the conduct and
control of alien enemies, except as such duty and responsibility is superseded by the
designation of military areas.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The White House,
February 19, 1942.
Vocabulary
espionage – the act of spying
sabotage – to destroy someone’s
efforts to achieve something
premises – land and buildings
utilities - services
amended – improved or corrected
supersede – replace something or
someone
construed – interpreted in a
particular way
Source: Transcript of Executive Order 9066: Resulting in the Relocation of Japanese
(1942) by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=74&page=transcript
Document 2
Miss Clara Estelle Breed was the Children's Librarian at the San Diego Public Library
from 1929 to 1945. Miss Breed was fond of all children, including the many Japanese
American children and teenagers who frequented the East San Diego Branch Library.
This letter is from Louise Ogawa, a child who regularly wrote letters to Miss Breed.
January 6, 1942
Dear Miss Breed,
I received the sweater and my brother's shorts. Thank you very very much for going
through so much trouble for me. You need not have hurried in buying them. I wish you
had shopped during your leisure time. Thank you again. The shorts are just fine. They
fit perfectly. My sweater is excellent. I just love it!!!
I was very glad to hear you liked the flowers. I wish I could have sent 10 dozen Am.
beauty roses (real ones) to show my appreciation for everything you have done for me.
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.
New Years I attended the New Year Festival which was held in Camp II. It was held 3
days, Jan 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. There were various exhibits. The Camp II Industry exhibit - displayed various kinds of things made by the department. Education was very
interesting too. There the works of the school children were displayed. Agriculture was
another. In this building were many different kinds of vegetation. They were very green
and looked as fresh as a daisy. The one I enjoyed most was the Arts and Crafts. Men
have gone to cut mesquite trees and have made lovely flower vases out of them. The
crooked branches and the bumpiest ones make the prettiest vases. In the vases there
were many varieties of artificial flowers. Many beautiful cases were made too. Such
things as ash trays, book ends, pencil holders, fruit baskets, vases, little jewelry chests,
and crochet and checker sets were made out of mesquite.
We had our annual "mochi tsuki"; making rice cakes. Our parents were very happy to
be able to eat "mochi" again. No one ever dreamed of eating them again. The govt. is
very good to us and I am truly grateful.
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. 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.
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.
I have been having trouble about my credits because we did not get credit for the last
semesters work. I am lacking 1/2 credit for graduation this June. But with the help of
our Vice principal, Mr. Tashiro, I will be able to graduate.
We now have a school constitution. A student from each Case Studies class (history
and English classes) formed the Constitutional Convention. At the present time it is
being ratified. Next week we are going to have election of Student Body officers.
This morning we had an assembly at which time we had the opportunity to hear Mr.
Head, project director; Mr. Popkins, construction director and Dr. Casey, Education.
Mr. Popkins showed us the plans of building a new school. He stated that JapaneseAmerican architects drafted the plans. The building is to be made out of adobe. The
adobe bricks are going to be made here.
The movie for this Friday night is "Confirm or Deny" I am very anxious to see it.
As a Christmas gift we, the students of Poston III High School, received $500.00 from
the McKinley High School of Honolulu -- this is to buy athletic equipments. Dr. Casey,
who is our Superintendent of Schools in Poston is a former principal of McKinley High
School.
Now, I must answer your questions before I forget about them. Yes, many varieties of
X'mas cards were made here in Poston. I do not know who the artist is that made the
card I selected. I wish I knew. There is no art school here. Yes, there is a famous artist
here in Poston. I do not know much about him. The little I know of him is -- his name is
Mr. Isamu Noguchi, a famous sculptor. He has gone to New York on a short "furlough."
He expects to return in a few months.
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.
Yes, we can hear conversation through the partition. We can hear every word our
neighbor is saying.
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. 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.
The school paper is published once a week.
I certainly was surprised to hear of the film shortage. I certainly wish we were allowed
to have cameras. I'd like to snap our living quarters, school etc. It will be such a nice
souvenir and a good remembrance.
Miss Breed, do you know if shower caps are on the shortage list too?
I would very much like to have:
2 hole note-book paper lined -- 2 pkg. or 1
1 eraser
1 little pencil sharpener like the ones in a pencil box.
Please do not rush this because I am not in a hurry. Please remember your work
comes before my shopping!
Thank you!
Please do write during your leisure time and let me know how everything is with you.
Most sincerely,
Louise Ogawa
Vocabulary
red tape – complicated official procedure
that makes things difficult
furlough - an absence or grant to leave
Source: Japanese American National Museum
http://www.janm.org/exhibits/breed/1_6_42_t.htm
Document 3
“Japanese enlistment - These Americans of Japanese ancestry are about to enter their
draft board at Waipahu, Territory of Hawaii, to apply for voluntary induction into the
U.S. Army. They intend to fight for Uncle Sam as member of a combat regiment made
up of 1,500 American citizens of Japanese ancestry. Yoshito Matsusaka (right), thirtysix, is a former lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.” – caption from the Library of
Congress
Vocabulary
draft – a system in which people are
ordered to join the armed services in
time of war
induction – to formally enlist
someone into military service
Uncle Sam – a personification of the
United States
Source: Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/fsa.8b06140/
Caption taken from Library of Congress’s photo
Document 4
In 1988, Congress formally apologized for relocating Japanese Americans during
World War II and provided financial compensation of up to $20,000.
Public Law 100-383 – Aug.10, 1988
100th Congress
Public Law 100-383 (1988) – Congress Apologies for the Relocation of Japanese-Americans
in WWII
SECTION 1. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are to—
(1) acknowledge the injustice of the evacuation, relocation, and internment of United States
citizens and permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry during World War II;
(2) apologize on behalf of the people of the United States for the evacuation, relocation, and
internment of such citizens and permanent resident aliens;
(3) provide for a public education fund to finance efforts to inform the public about the internment
of such individuals so as to prevent the recurrence of any similar event;
(4) make restitution to those individuals of Japanese ancestry who were interned; . . .
(6) discourage the occurrence of similar injustices and violations of civil liberties in the future; and
(7) make more credible and sincere any declaration of concern by the United States over
violations of human rights committed by other nations.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF THE CONGRESS.
(a) WITH REGARD TO INDIVIDUALS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY.—The Congress
recognizes that, as described by the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of
Civilians, a grave injustice was done to both citizens and permanent resident aliens of
Japanese ancestry by the evacuation, relocation, and internment of civilians during World
War II.
As the Commission documents, these actions were carried out without adequate security
reasons and without any acts of espionage or sabotage documented by the Commission,
and were motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political
leadership.
The excluded individuals of Japanese ancestry suffered enormous damages, both material
and intangible, and there were incalculable losses in education and job training, all of which
resulted in significant human suffering for which appropriate compensation has not been
made. For these fundamental violations of the basic civil liberties and constitutional rights of
these individuals of Japanese ancestry, the Congress apologizes on behalf of the Nation. . .
.
Vocabulary
injustice – unfair treatment of someone
restitution – compensation for a loss,
damage, or injury
intangible – not able to be touched or
seen
incalculable – too great to measure
Source:
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/archive/resources/documents/ch30_06.htm
Some of the language and phrasing in these documents have been
modified from the originals.
CAPTURE SHEET
How were Japanese Americans affected by
Executive Order 9066?
Conclusions from Document 1:
Conclusions from Document 2:
Conclusions from Document 3:
Conclusions from Document 4:
Assessment
Given the conclusions you have drawn from all four documents, rewrite the textbook selection.
Include details that give different perspectives.
Common Core ELA Writing Rubric – Grade 7
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/aab/English_Language_Arts/ELA_docs_folder/Rubrics%20Informational/Gr
7_InfoExp_2-13.pdf