Concentration Camps – Large numbers of people mainly political prisoners and minorities. Those who are deliberately imprisoned, usually in small areas with uninhabitable housing. Prisoners are made to work and wait for execution.

Arsenio Mártnez Campos was the man who started the first Cuban Concentration Camp in 1895. Spanish controlled the camps. “Reconcentracion” was rural Spanish-controlled cities. The prisons of today are armed and wrapped in barbed-wire.

On December 7th 1941, around 8 a.m., dozens of Japanese fighters descended onto the United States Naval base at Honolulu. Hawaii. Twenty American ships and 300 airplanes were destroyed, along with 2,400 American soldiers.

After the bombing, 1,291 Japanese-Americans from all over the country were taken into “time zones”. Religious leaders and members of the local community were targeted. F.B.I. seized assets without evidence and then arrested the suspects.

Early February, United States War Department arranged twelve timezones for Japanese residents along the Pacific Coast. The Japanese were arrested if they stayed outside past the curfew. Politicians were still trying to figure out how to use camps.

Even though the Executive Order 9066 wasn’t for Japanese citizens, it was aimed at them. Germans were excluded, as well as Italians, Aletus and Germans. Canada and Mexico participated in this by sending the Japanese to America.

“I shall always remember the day I was evacuated. I’ll remember standing with a few thousand other people on Garvey & Atlantic. Eventually, buses took us all to the camp. I will always remember that lump in my throat as we rode the bus down the street.

The F.B.I. conducted searches in thousands of private homes. The F.B.I. searched thousands of private homes. Homeowners were thrown out onto the streets to wait for the bus to collect them.

The War Relocation Authority was established on March 18, 1942. The plan called for the capture of all Japanese, and their surrounding by troops. All rights to owning land or purchasing land should be taken away. They had between two and four weeks to remove all of their belongings. Forcing the sale of cars, businesses, and other goods at prices way below market values. The government said that if cars were not sold, they would be kept safe until the end of the war. The U.S. Army bought all the cars at reduced prices.

Three-quarters of Hawaii’s population is Japanese. The fish market and fishing boats were all owned by the Japanese. The United States took possession of the boats, and also the fish markets. The U.S. mainland was sent with 15 hundred Japanese to intern them in camps.

After being impaled and forced to leave their homes, businesses and offices, the Japanese Americans were brought to assembly centers. After being impaled out of their homes and businesses, the Japanese-Americans were taken to assembly centers. They were in California, Wyoming Colorado Arizona Arkansas Idaho Utah, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah. Most of the camps were in harsh biomes. The camps held a large population of 120 000 Japanese.

Each relocation center had its own town. Post offices, farms, schools, colleges, and other businesses were all available. The town also had its own council, newspaper, sports teams and concerts. The town was completely isolated behind barbedwire and sniper-towers.

Camp jobs included manufacturing, ranching and fieldwork, as well as teaching, doctors, mechanics, and teachers. The highest paying job in the camp paid five dollars per day. The job was manufacturing Naval ships. All products were sold to raise money for the war or used as self-sufficiency items in the camps. In the event of a labor shortage, the Japanese were sent elsewhere to do seasonal farming.

(Hayashi, 2008 ) “….There wasn’t any furniture in these units. There were only blankets, army cots, and one light bulb in each room. The apartments had no kitchen facilities or toilet …” Page 17

The living conditions were similar to those in a barracks. In some cases, the “apartment’ could house up to 40 people. The house contained two pieces of furniture, cots for sleeping and wood-burning fires. The apartment did not have running water, toilets or a kitchen. The residents shared a shower, toilet and laundry area.

Camps could hold up to 20 000 people. Only a small percentage of people sent to camps had been vaccinated. In the camps, the most common causes of death were smallpox (whooping-cough), diphtheria, and the whooping-cough virus.

The hospitals were managed by Japanese doctors and cucasains. Hospitals were understaffed and lacked equipment. Doctors were underqualified to hold the positions they held. Many of the doctors picked up their practices from other camp doctors. There were 1,900 deaths from various diseases.

Fred Korematsu refused internment in 1942. The Supreme Court heard his case. He claimed that it violated his Fifth Amendment and that he could not be sent to a camp. Korematsu V. United States was created. Roosevelt decided to investigate the case after Korematsu’s loss.

In March 1943 the inmates went out on strike over terror tactics by authorities. Inmates refused to work or follow orders. After the act, the Internment Camp supervisors removed the guns from all guards and allowed the workers to go to the Mid-West or East to farm.

The security in Topaz is non-existent. The security in Topaz was nonexistent.

Some of the migrant workers were permitted to go west, and others chose to enlist. More than one-fourth of those interned in camps enlisted. They wanted them to be loyal Americans.

The 442nd Regimental of all Japanese troops, which was a unit that existed in the United States, has become one of those units most remembered by Americans. The 442nd Regimental received more than 18 thousand awards. They received twenty-nine distinguished services crosses, twenty-one medals honor and the congress gold star.

Endo v. United States, a case that was heard on December 18, 1944, ended the internment camps. She filed a Habeas Petition and the Supreme Court decided she was an “American loyalist” after deciding that her case had merit. She refused to leave until the Internment Camps were closed. The Supreme Court decided to close all camps two years later. Roosevelt was empowered to close all camps. The Supreme Court announced the decision a day after Roosevelt made the decision. All camps were closed by March 1946 including the Tule-Lake Maximum Security Camp in California.

Inmates who are released from prison have no idea what they will do next. They had lost everything. They were left with no businesses, homes, cars, jobs or money. They struggled and yet were treated with contempt. This made finding a new job very difficult. The majority of Japanese Americans got together and demonstrated their work ethic. Pieces began to fit within the community. American society gained trust.

Gerald Ford repealed the executive order 9066 in 1976. Congress officially apologized for the internment camps to people in 1988. Over eighty thousand individuals who were involved received twenty thousand dollar as part of the Civil Liberties Act.

elliotjones

Elliot Jones is a 29-year-old middle school teacher and blogger. He has been writing since he was a teenager, and his writings have been featured on various websites and in magazines. He enjoys writing about education, parenting, and lifestyle topics.