Soldier Standing Guard. Digital image. The History Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
Life in Japanese-American Internment Camps
Life in the Japanese American camps can be described as cruel and unfair. The Japanese were forced into these camps as a direct response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II. All Japanese or 'Japs', including American citizens were transported to these camps because they were seen as a threat to the American nation. The conditions were harsh and the suffering of these citizens were not fair to those who had done nothing wrong.
While in these camps, the Japanese refugees had little to no resources supplied to them. The food was plentiful at first but became more scarce. They had little to do. The homes were set up in massive rows where many people would live in one hut. There was hardly anything to do during these long years. The people who survived the life in these camps reflect on the lack of anything to do. There were large cafeterias to get food and small recreational centers that hardly had anything in them. Some passed their time with literature and poetry. (Japan Studies Association Journal) The best way to explain the life in a Japanese American camps is an animal in a cage. They were held in by barbed wire fences with armed soldiers pointing in at them. (Internment camp survivor to speak in Greeley) Like animals, they were held in these 'cages' to 'protect' the people in the outside and basically just given basic essentials for staying alive. Finally, the kids in the camps were forced to start each day off with the pledge of allegiance to America, to ensure that they are loyal American citizens. This picture shows all the Japanese children pledging their allegiance to the American flag. (Breckenridge)
While in these camps, the Japanese refugees had little to no resources supplied to them. The food was plentiful at first but became more scarce. They had little to do. The homes were set up in massive rows where many people would live in one hut. There was hardly anything to do during these long years. The people who survived the life in these camps reflect on the lack of anything to do. There were large cafeterias to get food and small recreational centers that hardly had anything in them. Some passed their time with literature and poetry. (Japan Studies Association Journal) The best way to explain the life in a Japanese American camps is an animal in a cage. They were held in by barbed wire fences with armed soldiers pointing in at them. (Internment camp survivor to speak in Greeley) Like animals, they were held in these 'cages' to 'protect' the people in the outside and basically just given basic essentials for staying alive. Finally, the kids in the camps were forced to start each day off with the pledge of allegiance to America, to ensure that they are loyal American citizens. This picture shows all the Japanese children pledging their allegiance to the American flag. (Breckenridge)
With all these hardships and free time that they were receiving during the time, the Japanese-Americans needed something to get their minds off the cruel and unfair life that they were building. With nothing to do, they decided to build baseball fields inside the camps for themselves to play baseball games. This became a daily thing that happened in the camp. Recently, an author named Marissa Ross wrote a book about one story of Japanese internment camp baseball. It is a children’s book called "Barbed Wired Baseball" about a Japanese baseball player named Kenichi Zenimura. His baseball legacy starts with the fact that he was a famous baseball player during the time of World War II. Since he came to America to play baseball, he was a Japanese American who was imprisoned after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. In the book, Zenimura is placed in a Japanese American Camp with his wife and kids. While in the camp, Kenichi built a baseball field in which he and all other Japanese Americans (mainly children) in the camps could play baseball. They played baseball each day to get through the hard times. This was what brought them back to normality, what got them through the tough times. (Moss)
Finally, here is the story of a survivor of a Japanese American Camp. When Joseph Huber Jr. was 10 years old, he, along with his family were sent to a Japanese American internment camp in Zamboanga. They were then transported to several other camps. In the first few weeks, Joseph thought it was an adventure. He would sneak under the barbed wire fence and explore the grounds outside. The food started off plentiful but then saw a decrease. When the food supply was at an all time low, his dad bought food from a smuggler for a total of $2000 in todays money for just two fish. When they were finally let free, Joseph Huber Jr. didn’t realize just how bad it was until his dad told him that they were close to starving to death.(Breckenridge)
The conditions in these camps were rough and unjust. Many remember the hardships they faced in this part of their past. It is a shallow part of America's history. The bad conditions they were given strictly because of their heritage. The life in these camps were hard, but they did what they needed to get by.
The conditions in these camps were rough and unjust. Many remember the hardships they faced in this part of their past. It is a shallow part of America's history. The bad conditions they were given strictly because of their heritage. The life in these camps were hard, but they did what they needed to get by.