Behind the Fences The History of Japanese Americans Essay

Between the years of 1942- 1945, the lives of many Japanese Americans were changed. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese military made the United States concerned about national security. The US was also made wary of Japanese people living in America, even though they were legal citizens. This fear of the Japanese immigrants put into motion the document that would forever leave an impact on the unsuspecting Asian foreigners. The Japanese were often lead away from their homes, mistreated, and in the end they were released after years of imprisonment, but the effects of the tragedy were too great to ignore. The order that would lead to the change in the lives of Japanese Americans was issued on February 19, 1942. It was signed by†¦show more content†¦They were forced to receive identification numbers and new housing inside a small, dingy, and poor camp. They were also given vaccines, to protect them from diseases that they might encounter while in the camp. The living sp ace inside the camps was very small, and most people were forced to live in small shacks or stables. After they got to the camps, they were forced to face unsanitary living conditions. People were shocked to see the conditions of the camps. Many people actually died because of the unsanitary conditions. There were also many health issues that were the result of the conditions of the camps, one author says, â€Å"Long-term health consequences included psychological anguish, as well as increased cardiovascular disease† (Gwendolyn M. Jensen). One reason that the conditions were so terrible was because of the amount of people that were being stuffed into the camps. There were over 122,000 Japanese Americans being shoved into only ten camps around the country. These camps were located in California, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona, and Arkansas. The daily lives of the Japanese Americans consisted of many of the same things that they would normally do, except in har sher conditions. For the most part, the children were given an education; although it was not aShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Pearl Harbor1475 Words   |  6 PagesWhen the Japanese had economic success for a long time, also with an American fear of WWII, the Nazis, and a long-standing anti-Asian racism turned into disaster when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The bombing killed more than 2,300 Americans. It completely destroyed the American battleship U.S.S. Arizona and capsized the U.S.S. Oklahoma. The attack sank or beached a total of twelve ships and damaged nine others. 160 aircraft were destroyed and 150 others damaged. Lobbyists fromRead More Snow Falling on Cedars Essay1129 Words   |  5 Pagessince history was recorded. Even the most open-minded people and enlightened organizations can be blamed as being prejudice sometime or another. 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