Life of the Japanese Women inside of Internment Camps
On February 19, 1942 During the reign of President Roosevelt he decided to sign order 9066. It included plans to move more than 110,000 Japanese Americans to relocate into 10 internment camps. The reason behind this action was because during world war 2 the United states government meant feared that Japanese spies were hiding among their groups of people to watch the next move of the US. So with that fear driving the government officials crazy they did what they thought was the right thing to do confine innocent Japanese men, women, and children into these internment camps which were located in the middle of no where. These innocent Japanese Americans who were mostly born here in the states were forced to leave their homes and belongings some that were bought with their own hard worked money and others were traditional and historic items such as kimonos that were passed down from generation to generation but all had to be left behind to relocate to these camps where they were to leave everything they owned behind including their own dignity.
The camps were located and spread out in seven western states. They were called Manzanar,heart mountain,tule lake, topaz,posten, gila river, mache, mindoka, rohwer, Jerome. Not all of the camps were done being built so some of the Japanese men had to actually finish building the rest of the camp. Until the camps were finished the Japanese American people had to live in temporary centers. These centers were abandoned horse stables which were located in the middle of nowhere near train tracks. About seven families of four or more were jammed packed into one stable and they tried to make ends meet. This was not at all a glamorous way of living as you can imagine the smells from the horses and the hay is still visible in scent and sight. Unfortunately these Japanese Americans had no choice but to appreciate the shelter they were given.
It is quite amusing that the United States Government wanted to kick out these Japanese people when more than half of them were Nisei which means 2nd generation Japanese. So they were born in America making the United States Citizens, when the government wanted to only catch foreign Japan spies. This was just a form of racism and unfair segregation. It is unimaginable how much pain these people had to go through but they did what they can each day was a struggle and a new story to write. That is exactly what they did they wrote to let the time pass by they wrote to people they wrote in journals which were left behind in the camps and those were the memories we have of these small little portals of hell.
Before entering the camps each person was given a number as if their names were not any useful or had a purpose. They were assigned a camp home and that was where they lived until the fear of spies that the Americans had would soon to disappear which was definitely going to take a while with the war happening and all. Although the lives of the Japanese people was changing drastically the children of the camps were still given rights to learn so there were schools in the camps taught by Female Japanese Teachers who taught them everything that was to be learned in the children’s grades. What they were being taught was definitely watched under strict supervision to make sure they were not being taught any type of Japanese subliminal messages or propaganda. Also speaking or writing in any type of Japanese was very much prohibited in these camps. Basically everything of the Japanese culture was being stripped away Americans were doing once again what they were doing best trying to take away ones culture to make they assimilate into the American culture. They were trying to make it seem like it was horrible to be proud to be Japanese.
The women and girls of the camps were under lots of pressure and felt like they were being torn apart. It was tough living in these camps especially for the Nisei females. Its already hard enough when they lived outside of the camps dealing with learning to be a traditional obedient Japanese young lady along with learning the ways of being an independent American woman living in the land of the free and home of the brave. This was only hard until it got touch by being thrown into these disgusting camps as if they were animals that had no voice or say in anything. Tomihiro a young 16 year old girl who was thrown into the camps with her family had this to say about the whole experience.
“All I could think of how humiliating it was, we pledged allegiance to the flag every morning…’ for justice and freedom for all,’ they said but it did not apply to us.” (Tomihiro talking about life in the camps in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.)
It was even more tough as time went by in these camps. The teenage daughters and single younger ladies had the most tough times in the camps because of the fact that they could not explore or learn more about themselves. The freedom that the parents of Tomihiro and many other Japanese American women’s parents had fought for and had looked for and fled their homelands to give their daughters a better life was taken away from them.
As many Japanese women already have experienced they could not do much or say much to try to make things better or to get themselves released from the camps so all they can really do was just live the life they were given in the camps. Continue to study and go to school if education was given to them in the camps, obey their husbands, fathers, and elder men of the camps. The women mothers, daughters, aunts, sisters, and grandmothers worked together to make the home a warm and safe place for themselves and the families. Sure the homes were cold, damp and smelled like mold but with the very little belongings they brought with them. The women tried their hardest to be strong and keep the traditions going as they still celebrated Japanese holidays they did not let the fear and the sorrow of the camps get to them. Yes the men of the camps kept the home together and made sure everyone was intact they tried to also protect their women while keeping it together. The women though along with cooking for the family doing their laundry and other domestic responsibilities also had to be teacher to the children and even coach them with exercises and sports. With their dainty loving aura these Japanese women had to keep composure and leave all of the stress and pressure they were going through in the back of their minds. With everyday that passed by the women of these communities in the internment camps got stronger together and had great bonds that made it easier for the days to go by. These bonds that the women created turned into safe havens for more women and their families in the camps although they were Japanese they were still born in America and believed they were Americans and lived that way while still attaining traditional Japanese customs. These women all did this with grace, poise, and strength. Until the day they were let out of the camps the women were truly the backbone of the communities in these internment camps.
The camps were located and spread out in seven western states. They were called Manzanar,heart mountain,tule lake, topaz,posten, gila river, mache, mindoka, rohwer, Jerome. Not all of the camps were done being built so some of the Japanese men had to actually finish building the rest of the camp. Until the camps were finished the Japanese American people had to live in temporary centers. These centers were abandoned horse stables which were located in the middle of nowhere near train tracks. About seven families of four or more were jammed packed into one stable and they tried to make ends meet. This was not at all a glamorous way of living as you can imagine the smells from the horses and the hay is still visible in scent and sight. Unfortunately these Japanese Americans had no choice but to appreciate the shelter they were given.
It is quite amusing that the United States Government wanted to kick out these Japanese people when more than half of them were Nisei which means 2nd generation Japanese. So they were born in America making the United States Citizens, when the government wanted to only catch foreign Japan spies. This was just a form of racism and unfair segregation. It is unimaginable how much pain these people had to go through but they did what they can each day was a struggle and a new story to write. That is exactly what they did they wrote to let the time pass by they wrote to people they wrote in journals which were left behind in the camps and those were the memories we have of these small little portals of hell.
Before entering the camps each person was given a number as if their names were not any useful or had a purpose. They were assigned a camp home and that was where they lived until the fear of spies that the Americans had would soon to disappear which was definitely going to take a while with the war happening and all. Although the lives of the Japanese people was changing drastically the children of the camps were still given rights to learn so there were schools in the camps taught by Female Japanese Teachers who taught them everything that was to be learned in the children’s grades. What they were being taught was definitely watched under strict supervision to make sure they were not being taught any type of Japanese subliminal messages or propaganda. Also speaking or writing in any type of Japanese was very much prohibited in these camps. Basically everything of the Japanese culture was being stripped away Americans were doing once again what they were doing best trying to take away ones culture to make they assimilate into the American culture. They were trying to make it seem like it was horrible to be proud to be Japanese.
The women and girls of the camps were under lots of pressure and felt like they were being torn apart. It was tough living in these camps especially for the Nisei females. Its already hard enough when they lived outside of the camps dealing with learning to be a traditional obedient Japanese young lady along with learning the ways of being an independent American woman living in the land of the free and home of the brave. This was only hard until it got touch by being thrown into these disgusting camps as if they were animals that had no voice or say in anything. Tomihiro a young 16 year old girl who was thrown into the camps with her family had this to say about the whole experience.
“All I could think of how humiliating it was, we pledged allegiance to the flag every morning…’ for justice and freedom for all,’ they said but it did not apply to us.” (Tomihiro talking about life in the camps in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.)
It was even more tough as time went by in these camps. The teenage daughters and single younger ladies had the most tough times in the camps because of the fact that they could not explore or learn more about themselves. The freedom that the parents of Tomihiro and many other Japanese American women’s parents had fought for and had looked for and fled their homelands to give their daughters a better life was taken away from them.
As many Japanese women already have experienced they could not do much or say much to try to make things better or to get themselves released from the camps so all they can really do was just live the life they were given in the camps. Continue to study and go to school if education was given to them in the camps, obey their husbands, fathers, and elder men of the camps. The women mothers, daughters, aunts, sisters, and grandmothers worked together to make the home a warm and safe place for themselves and the families. Sure the homes were cold, damp and smelled like mold but with the very little belongings they brought with them. The women tried their hardest to be strong and keep the traditions going as they still celebrated Japanese holidays they did not let the fear and the sorrow of the camps get to them. Yes the men of the camps kept the home together and made sure everyone was intact they tried to also protect their women while keeping it together. The women though along with cooking for the family doing their laundry and other domestic responsibilities also had to be teacher to the children and even coach them with exercises and sports. With their dainty loving aura these Japanese women had to keep composure and leave all of the stress and pressure they were going through in the back of their minds. With everyday that passed by the women of these communities in the internment camps got stronger together and had great bonds that made it easier for the days to go by. These bonds that the women created turned into safe havens for more women and their families in the camps although they were Japanese they were still born in America and believed they were Americans and lived that way while still attaining traditional Japanese customs. These women all did this with grace, poise, and strength. Until the day they were let out of the camps the women were truly the backbone of the communities in these internment camps.
The Document above is a letter from a couple living in the barracks of the internment camps.
They are explaining to one of their American friends the life they are living from their lunch times to their social lives. Although life is tough for them they are still trying to make ends meet and enjoy life. They go to each others homes and talk and find great warmth in each other's company. Still even with the comfort of each other's similar experiences in the camp those stuck inside still yearn for keeping in touch with the outside world hence writing leatters to their American friends asking to send them care packages of books.
They are explaining to one of their American friends the life they are living from their lunch times to their social lives. Although life is tough for them they are still trying to make ends meet and enjoy life. They go to each others homes and talk and find great warmth in each other's company. Still even with the comfort of each other's similar experiences in the camp those stuck inside still yearn for keeping in touch with the outside world hence writing leatters to their American friends asking to send them care packages of books.
My Plea
Oh God, I pray that I may bear a cross
To set my people free,
That I may help to take good-will across
An understanding sea.
Oh, God, I pray that someday every race
May stand on equal plane
And prejudice will find no dwelling place
In a peace that all may gain.
-Mary Matsuzawa
(Young Girl in one of the internment camps.)
Oh God, I pray that I may bear a cross
To set my people free,
That I may help to take good-will across
An understanding sea.
Oh, God, I pray that someday every race
May stand on equal plane
And prejudice will find no dwelling place
In a peace that all may gain.
-Mary Matsuzawa
(Young Girl in one of the internment camps.)
Bibliography
"Dear Miss Breed: Letters from Camp." Dear Miss Breed: Letters from Camp. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
"Japanese-American Woman Who Was Forced into an Internment Camp at 16 Recalls Time in Custody." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 03 May 2012. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
"JapaneseInternment Camps: A Personal Account." UWEC Geog188 Vogeler. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
"Margaret's Letters." Just beyond Hope. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013
http://www.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/t/target/APAHM09/f_and_m_ishino.pdf
http://justbeyondhope.com/margarets-letters/
http://www.uwec.edu/geography/ivogeler/w188/life.htm
http://www.janm.org/exhibits/breed/title.htm
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-03/news/ct-met-internment-wwii-japanese-20120503_1_internment-chiye-tomihiro-japanese-americans-citizens-league
http://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_civil_rights_japanese_american.htm