The Japanese-American internment is a very tragic and controversial event that is still ingrained in the minds of those who lived through it. Obviously it was a horrible event that hopefully won't ever be repeated anywhere in the world.
1.)Unfair blaming: When people talk about the internment camps, some people are quick to blame all of the US for this, that's misguided and unfair. Even then, not every American was happy about the internment camps, some even tried to help the Japanese American community. However, most couldn't speak out against the interment because they feared they would be accused of treason. One group of people who are known for trying to help the Japanese-American community were called the "Quakers".
2.)FDR isn't completely at fault: Because he wasn't the one who came up with the idea of interning Japanese-Americans. While FDR was okay with the internment, the man who should have most of the negative reputation is John L. Dewitt. John was by definition a "racist". He is known for proposing the idea of interning Japanese-Americans from California, Washington and Oregon. He is mostly known for his infamous quote
A J@p's a J@p. There is no way to determine their loyalty... This coast is too vulnerable. No J@p should come back to this coast on a permit from my office.
This quote still causes anger amongst various Americans of Japanese ancestry.
3.)FDR redeemed himself: Almost Imediately after he gave the green light for Japanese American internment, he also gave the green light for the formation of the all Japanese-American Military unit known as the 442nd RCT who performed so well by earning various types of medals(several years later, certain members upgraded to Medals of Honor) in Europe that Harry Truman was impressed with them which was one of the reasons he disegregated the US army.
The principle on which this country was founded and by which it has always been governed is that Americanism is a matter of the mind and heart; Americanism is not and never was, a matter of race or ancestry-Franklin Delano Roosevelt
4.) The internment was a liberal policy: I'm not sure if people called themselves liberals in those days but many people nowadays consider FDR's administration liberal by today's standards. The blame for the internment can't go to the conservatives. No, I'm not saying every liberal supported it but the Japanese-American internment was enforced by a liberal administration.
5.)No justifying it: I know there are many people who try to justify the internment camps for some reason, usually they are Japanophobes or they are people who don't try to see things from the victims of the internment. In my opinion the internment camps were not justified, in fact our Gov't apologized to the victims.
6.)Canada also had internment camps: They were considered to be worse not only because of their conditions but because of their attitude towards Japanese-Canadians post war. Incidentally, Canada still had a liberal leadership during WWII. The Canadian Gov't had a "you didn't like it then leave" mentality towards the Japanese-Canadians. Not even WWI Japanese-Canadian veterans were safe from the internment. Japanese Canadians weren't allowed n the Canadian army during WWII. At least Japanese-Americans were allowed into the US army during WWII.
7.)two wrongs don't make a right: It's appalling how some people try to justify the internment just because most of the imperial Japanese army was commiting war crimes during WWII. They forget that Japanese-Americans are still Americans and Japanese-Canadians are still Canadians. It's unfair to lump a entire ethnic group into one category. It's like saying "all Germans are Nazis", "all whites are racists" or "all Russians are communists". It's not fair to blame a entire ethnic group for the misdeeds of certain individuals.
8.)Never posed a threat and apology: There was a investigation(due to pressure from the Japanese American citizens league) in the early 1980s that revealed there is almost no evidence that Japanese-Americans who were interned posed a threat during WWII. In 1988, Those who were interned were issued a apology and received compensation.
9.)Aftermath: After the war, many 442nd RCT veterans took part in the "Hawaii democratic revolution of 1954" which eventually resulted in Hawaii officially becoming a state in 1959, Democrats becoming dominant in Hawaii, better working and living conditions, overthrow of white minority rule, Japanese-Americans acquiring political positions in Hawaii and the big 5 losing influence in Hawaii. This could be considered a civil rights movement since it also caused Americans of Japanese ancestry and possibly other Asian-Americans to face less intolerance.
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