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  • Essay / Japanese Internment Camps: America versus Japan

    When we think of the relationship the United States has with Japan today, our first thoughts are usually of their cuisine, their technology, their culture pop like anime and their traditions which could be considered the exact opposite of ours. Many of these things have managed to become integrated into the American way of life. As a result, however, we tend to view Japanese culture as a whole as something intended solely for our own entertainment. No one stops to think about how we take a group of people and dehumanize them, dismantle them, and put labels on them for the sake of our own interests. We must ensure that we consider the countless facets of Japanese-American life and celebrate them not just for the reasons we choose, but for their culture as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay It is because of American choice that Japanese Americans have a rich and troubling history here. After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the U.S. War Department floated the idea that Japanese Americans could act as agents of espionage or sabotage. They perceived the Japanese people as a threat simply because their views were based on limited knowledge. (The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor without mercy, so all Japanese people, including those who are American, are ruthless killing machines who are willing to do anything, even die, for their home country... right not?) Despite a fairly obvious lack of evidence for this claim. , approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly imprisoned in what were called “internment camps” up and down the West Coast. The fact is that about two-thirds of these prisoners were actually second-generation native-born citizens, known as “Nisei” within the Japanese community. Unlike their parents, known as "Issei," who were the first generation in the United States, these 80,000 Nisei behaved and considered themselves completely American. Despite all of this, then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt still implemented Executive Order 9066. In short, this executive order gave the U.S. military the right to remove people from military areas "if deemed necessary or desirable." ". the entire west coast was for the moment considered a “military zone”. Although the order did not specifically name Japanese Americans, it was clear that these were the only people targeted (the editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica). The camps lasted up to three years and their conditions were initially intended to mimic the prevailing situation. granted to a low-ranking member of the military, but the cruel reality was that they were much worse. Often surrounded by barbed wire, the camps were loosely based on military barracks, but there was no plumbing or cooking facilities, and a room intended for four people was often filled with at least 25 people. It's not like they can try to make a living. the space feels more like a house than a prison as they were asked to leave all their belongings behind except for a suitcase. Many people were even forced to make the journey with just the clothes on their backs. “Shikata ga nai,” meaning “there’s nothing we can do about it,” was a phrase often used by camp residents to sum up their feelings about the situation. Although several..