Topaz camps of Re location - President Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066.

This was

an executive order signed with the secretary of war and his commanders in charge of deciding

were the militaries zones will be and who should be removed. That gave the military power over

the Attorney General to make these decisions without any hearings or Due Process.

The zones would be in desert places of the coast of the Pacific, Washington, Oregon, Arizona

and California; some 120,000 Japanese and their descendants would be interned in concentration

camps. The executive order instructions were that for all people of Japanese descent, foreign or

not, will be evacuated in the points above mentioned on specific place and time. Colonel Karl

Bendetsen, who headed the operation, said: "Even if they have one drop of Japanese blood will

go to the concentration camps. That's my determination.

The world was about to witness one of the most unlawful acts of massive racism US government

was preparing to achieve. In our world, actions speak louder than words. Thats why, we should

take concrete actions making things right and ensure nothing like this will ever happen again. All

these stories are an embarrassment to the United States Government.

The evacuation was not voluntary it was the law. None of these persons were ever accused of any

crime. Almost all were simple members of the Japanese community. People were only allowed to

take to the camps what they can carry in bags. They had to make arrangements to leave behind

everything they own. The lucky ones got two weeks other had a couple of days to make these

decisions.

The operation also included the freezing of bank accounts, seizure of assets, drastic limitations

on travel and displacement and other restrictions. Along the entire West Coast appeared posters

with the order at the evacuation points warned evacuees that they take their own mattresses.
Most of them were secretly transported to internment camps throughout the country. Many

families knew only later what had happened to their relatives. .

Evacuation included babys orphans, adopted children and even to elderly and disabled persons.

The cruelty against the Japanese was such that in a few months opened other fields in Colorado,

Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Arkansas and Texas. Also, a concentration camp was established in

Panama in the Canal Zone. Many Japanese put their possessions in storage, waiting to reclaim

them after the war, but meanwhile were looted and stolen. Some leased them, but the occupants

then refused to pay the rent. Some owners of plantations discovered after the war that its workers

had sold the land to a third party.

Many who decided not to sell their properties, discovered after the war that their homes had

been invaded or that the State had appropriated them for failing to pay taxes. Once the time for

preparation, the ethnic Japanese were taken to meeting places on trains or buses, monitored by

armed guards. In the majority of cases, these centers were horse race, and the evacuees had to

sleep in the stables.

Other fields had electrified fences, a meaningless if we consider that they were all located in

deserts and desolate areas. Each field had powerful spotlights that illuminated to the barracks at

night. Many people was shot in an inside protest. For example Manzanar Sentinels killed 135

people in a manifestation within the field asking for humane conditions in response they were

riddled with bullets by the Sentinels. At other times the Japanese were brutally beaten without

any reason. The Tule Lake camp guardians had as usual beating detainees with batons of

baseball. When the Californian Manzanar camp Japanese demonstrated against the living

conditions, the soldiers threw smoke grenades and then opened fire. A boarding teacher later died
in the act nine others were seriously injured. There were Japanese who desperate committed

suicide. Others died because of the very poor living conditions.

Often three generations of the same family lived in a room of 20 x 25 feet. A light bulb was the

only furniture, except for one that internees could be built. In other cases the families were sent

to stables newly "rebuild" where the stench became unbearable in the summer. Flour and rice

were delivered in sacks of cloth and these were accumulated in a disposal. But, for them was a

resource. It was fabric to make a blanket to endure the cold temperatures in winter. They had to

look for ideas and survival resources. All mail was censored, as well all internal

communications. The Japanese was forbidden in public meetings and religious services were

abolished.

The prisoners were required to salute the flag. Singing patriotic songs and to declare their

loyalty to the nation. "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic, for which it stands, one

nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Where was the justice for this entire American

Japanese?

Conclusion - In our times, something like Topaz cannot happen in the same massive way. But,

its happening in less intense way. For example, we have several inmates who are facing prison

without having a fair a trial. There are many that are not guilty and were accused to be suspicious

of the crime.

Whats happening now with Trumps administration and the banning for all Muslim countries

because all they do is to be Muslim? We dont really know in detailed how life in Muslim

countries is. We as society can do better than that. We are stereotyping people assuming that all

of them are harm for US. Arent we free to practice any religion or no religion at all?
Whats happening with the deportation Trump is doing. Deporting and depriving American

children to have their parents raising them. This can cause serious emotional and mental issues

on children. How are they supposed survive with Mom or without the support of Dad. People are

being deported without have committing any crime or due process. Our government doesnt care

about the wellbeing of its people. Trumps administration itself has become racist and prejudices

towards Americans and our society.

What happen in Topaz is leaving a scar in our society. It was a shameful act US needs to learn

from. Here in US we have the constitution and we often forget that even undocumented people is

also protected. The fact, that after being in these camps concentrations the government asked

them if they wanted to fight for U.S shows humility and loyal for the country. Why the

governments after treating them in this cruel way dare to asked them to enroll in the military and

go fight for US?

Connection with Milton Bennett - As I learn during this course theres stages Milton talks

about. Theres two in particular I feel US government participated in with the re location camps.

First off, is Denial the government wasnt able to accept that people even though they were

descending from Asia they were Americans by born. They did not care about families children,

elderly and sick people. They were treated as non-humans by their own government. Another one

is the Minimization they were part of by taking them so far away to the dessert and treated them

as non-humans. Building camps with lifeless conditions and killing them if they wanted to

complaint about not having enough human resources to survive.

Work cited

Source materials used in this essay for the historical and cultural background of Issei (first-

generation Japanese) and Nisei (second-generation Japanese) are: Orientals and Their Cultural

Adjustment, Social Science Source Documents, no. 4, Fisk University (Nashville, Tenn., 1946).

Beckwith. J. Version 3.2, September 2010. Topaz Relocation Center. Retrieved from URL

http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/from_war_to_war/topazrelocationcenter.html

Jane T, Glynis M, Nathanael S. May 17, 2006. Japanese Americans Interned During World War

II. Retrieved from URL

http://www.tellingstories.org/internment/index.html

Mirabile H. 20 November 2013. Internment Camp Survivors. Retrieved form URL

https://prezi.com/ju_jcl7i63cq/internment-camp-survivors/

Papanikolas H. Kasai A. 19 January 2006. Japanese Life in Utah. Retrieved from URL

http://historytogo.utah.gov/people/ethnic_cultures/the_peoples_of_utah/japaneselifeinutah.html