The "Memorials With Meaning: Part I- Japanese Internment Camp Memorial" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Searching for a photograph of the granite memorial that sits in the square of Lancaster, Pennsylvania when I came upon a rather unusual stone memorial in Poston, Arizona that is known as the Japanese Internment Camp Memorial.  The cylindrical round top stands almost as high as the few palm trees that stand near it.  

The Japanese Internment Camp Memorial

Around the base are plaques that more than likely tell the story of life in one of America's World War II concentration camps.  Almost 80 years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which authorized the Secretary of War or military commanders to establish "military areas" and excluding "there from any and all persons."  As a result of the order, all residents of Japanese descent along the Pacific Coast were forcibly removed to what were referred to as "War Relocation Camps."  This all came about due to the December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack by the Japanese.  About two-thirds of those interned were American citizens.  That number could have been higher except that under existing law, Japanese immigrants couldn't become naturalized citizens.  Seems that the attitude at the highest levels of the military was that a Japanese was a Japanese and racial strains are undiluted.  If you are Japanese you are the enemy.  Those on the West Coast were regarded as potential displays who could engage in sabotage.  Seems that those not Japanese were so scared and terrified that the Japanese Army was going to march through California.  So, if you were of Japanese decent, you should be locked up.  Those in command used the excuse that the Japanese were being detained in the Internment Camps for their own protection.  Hard to believe when viewing newsreels and seeing the barbed wire facing inward and all the guards had their weapons pointed at those inside the camp.  As the war progressed, some were allowed to leave the camps if they found sponsors in the Midwest or the East.  Days after the Japanese bombed Hawaii, several California Buddhist Churches were burned to the ground.   At first, some Japanese Americans were jailed, and later taken to the interment camps.  

View of the Internment Camp

The only Americans who offered help in condemn- ing the camp were the Quakers who said placing the Japanese in interment camps was a blatant violation of constitutional rights.  It was said to be totally opposite of American ideals.  But, the propaganda newsreels showed people getting off buses like they were going to summer camp.  One Japanese person described the interment camp as a makeshift city of crudely and hastily built barracks in the heart of the Arizona desert.  Just about all who were detained lost property and many lost their jobs.  Today's Japanese marvel at their relatives attitude in the camp.  Most didn't show resentment or bitterness even thought they may have lost everything when they were released.  One person told that her father suffered a cerebral hemorrhage a month after being placed in the camp.  She was only 10 years old at the time.  Japanese knew the United States had been attacked by Japan, so most just kept quiet about their predicament.  Back then you didn't question anything.  Many thousand American lives were lost in the war, but there was no reason a loyal citizen, no matter what nationality they may have been, should have been locked up in an internment camp.  It was demoralizing and older people became ill more quickly while sick people didn't live long.  It was tough for the children, but not as bad as it was for the elderly.  Some said they didn't choose to be there, but they tried to make the most of it. When they were released they tried to begin their life over once again.  What seemed so strange was that there were many Japanese soldiers fighting for the United States while their relatives were imprisioned in internment camps.  Today, the Japanese-American Citizen's League is lobbying for American students to be taught more about the internment camps.  Seems that very few states teach about the Japanese internment camps.  I must admit I never knew about it until I began to research information for this story.   The Civil Liberties Act of 1988, passed by congress and signed by President Regan, provided for a presidential apology and $1.25 billion in reparations, or $20,000 to each individual who had been in the camps.  A small amount for the horrible damage that was done to most Japanese families.  One survivor told of her daughter writing about her mother being in a Japanese internment camp during WWII.  She turned in her paper and her teacher returned it with a big red "F" and a rebuke from the teacher which read: "You made this all up. This never happened!"  What is hard to believe is that the teacher probably never hear about the internment camps.  So sad that it has been kept from all of us for all these years. At least the memorial in Poston, Arizona spread the word about that part of our history.  PS - After finishing typing this story I talked to my wife about what I had just written.  She looked at me and said, "I can't believe you didn't learn that in high school.  I did!"  I looked at her and said, "I can't believe that either.  And I studied history in high school and college!"  To my readers...did you really know about this?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.