Manzanar War Relocation Center, California One Place Study

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Manzanar War Relocation Center, California One Place Study

This profile is part of the Manzanar War Relocation Center, California One Place Study.

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Name

Manzanar War Relocation Center, California

Geography

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GPS Coordinates:

Elevation:

Overview

For California's Japanese residents, it was a time of extreme anxiety. They had either came to America for a better life and became U.S. citizens, or were born here so they could have a normal life, all were just trying to enjoy what America had to offer. Statistics show that about 2/3 of the detainees were U.S. citizens. It's unfortunate that our government cannot trust its own people.

In March of 1941 that all changed and the future no longer had any guarantee of any sense of normalcy. They were thrust into extraction from their homes and livelihoods by the U.S. Government , the very agency they thought they could trust, to relocate to who knows where and not knowing if they would ever return.

They were expected to pack up their lives in one suitcase and the clothes on their backs within days and report to a central collection location. Those that did not report were personally taken by force by federal agents, thrown into a car and driven away.

From the collection point they were bused or trained by military guards to the remote desert area originally called the 'Owens valley Reception Center', renaimed Manzanar War Relocation Center in 1942, a newly formed camp for persons of Japanese decent suspected of espionage. As it turned out , no Japanese Americans or Japanese aliens were ever convicted of espionage.

U.S. Navel Base, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii

aka 'Pearl'

Sunday, December 7, 1941 0755 Hours (7:55 AM)

On a quite Sunday morning, the sudden drone of hundreds of aircraft of the Japanese Imperial Navy descended on Pearl to reign terror of an unknown magnitude. Kamikaze pilots attacked U.S. Navel ships to great loss of navel personnel and equipment.

U.S. Losses

^[1]

2,335 Navy, Army, and Marine personal killed

1,143 Navy, Army, and Marine personnel wounded

68 Civilians killed

35 Civilians wounded

19 Navy ships destroyed or damaged

328 Navy, Army Air Corp. Planes damaged or destroyed

Day of Infamy Address

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Monday, December 8, 1941

The day after the attacks on Pearl, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made an address to the U.S. Congress and the American people with regards to the attack.

Following are excerpts from that address:

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date that will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by navel and air forces of the Empire of Japan"

"As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense"

"I ask that the Congress declare that since this unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire"

With this address, the United States was now in a state of war and everything that could be done to protect the U.S. , its territories, and its citizens was to be done immediately.

Presidential Executive Order 9066

^[4]

Thursday, February 19, 1942

As a follow-up to the afore mentioned actions, the president issued Order 9066 which authorized the U.S. Secretary of war to establish 'Military Areas of Confinement' which was meant to secure all Japanese aliens and Japanese Americans in centralized area's within the U.S. for the protection of national entities.

Following are excerpts from that address:

"Whereas the successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection against espionage and against sabotage to national-defense material, national-defense premises, and national-defense utilities"

"Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deems such action necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine from which any and all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who are excluded therefrom, such transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary, in the judgment of the Secretary of War or the said Military Commander, and until other arrangements are made, to accomplish the purpose of this order."

The stage was now set to extract and confine all persons of Japanese origin, regardless of age, to certain secure areas as determined by the Secretary of War.

Relocation Centers

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There were ten centers built in the United States mostly in very remote sections of seven states including Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.

Note: This OPS deals only with the center called Manzanar.

Manzanar

^[6]

In June of 1941, the camp originally operated by the wartime Civilian Control Administration (WCCA) transferred to the War Relocation Authority (WPA) was later taken over by the U.S. Army.

Like many of the ten relocation centers, the 500 acre site called Manzanar was quickly built in the remote area of the Owens Valley next to the Inyo Mountain range where temperatures reached over 100 degrees with blowing sand and dust in the Summer to freezing cold and snow in the Winter.

It had barbed wire surrounding it and had numerous guard towers as well manned by the Military Police (MP's).

The housing huts (barracks) were hastily built in 36 blocks of 14 barracks each for a total of 504 units having roughly 300 detainees in each block, or about 75 per barracks.

Each barracks had sleeping cots while each block had a laundry, mess hall, and communal men's and women's toilets and showers without privacy walls.

Life as a Detainee

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There were about 10,000 detainees at any given time and they were allowed to establish Houses of Worship, and participate in sports, cultural activities, and of course gardening.

There was always work to be done and everyone did their part either working on irrigation systems to water the acres of fruits trees and vegetable plots located on adjacent 5000 acres to the compound, or caring for livestock.

Other job functions included working in the mess halls, medical staff work, police and fire personnel, and teachers for the young. Detainees also ran several general stores as well. The U.S. was being generous of course in paying for their services at 12-19 dollars per month depending on the skill level of the workers.

As the war intensified in 1943, the U.S. Government had all detainees fill out a 'Loyalty Questionnaire where they were asked if they would serve in the U.S. military, and swear full allegiance' to their adopted country (the United States of America).

Manzanar Riot

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Detainee Fred Tomayo, a member of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) was accused of being an internal spy for the government and was attacked in December of 1942 which resulted in a riot to free his alleged attacked Harry Ueno. The conflict resulted in the deaths of two detainees.

Landmarks

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While one could say the entire Manzanar site is a landmark in itself, the cemetery monument within the site is probably the most poignant reminder of those who resided here.

Manzanar Cemetery Monument

Obelisk constructed by Master stonemason Ryozo Kado who was a Catholic, and Buddhist minister Shinjo Nagatomi.

This endearing stone tower is named 'Soul Consoling Tower' in Japanese Kanji characters is the resting place of only six of the detainees. Others' remains eventually went back to the respective families after the war.

Guard Tower 8

The current tower is a replica of the ones used in 1942. There were originally 8 manned towers surrounding the camp.

Block 14 Barracks

The one remaining housing unit is on display as a reminder of how life was in the camp.

Visitors Center

This building was built later as a gymnasium and now houses the history of Manzanar life in photographs.

Military Service

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When the war started in 1941, there were already 500 men of Japanese origin serving in the U.S. Military. Another 5000 were drafted into service up until January 1942 when Japanese people were classified by the U.S. Government as 'Alien Enemies' and the draft was halted and not reinstated until January 1944.

The U.S. Government established the 442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Team made up of just 2nd generation Japanese men (Nisei) who served alongside the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, 232nd Combat Engineer Company, 206th Army Ground Forces Band, an Antitank Company, Cannon Company, Service Company, a medical detachment, and three infantry battalions, all of whom served honorably during these turbulent times. The 442nd were considered one of the most highly decorated teams who served in the armed forces during WW II. There motto was 'Go For Broke' meaning they were to give everything they had in service to America.

Additionally, another unit made up of Japanese American men was the 100th Infantry battalion that served during WW II in the European theater.

Both the 442nd and the 100th members were given the Congressional Gold Medal for their heroic service in World War II.

Reparation

^[12]

Public Law 100-383, Dated August 10, 1988

This was a bill by Congress that acknowledged the injustice and incarceration of Japanese Americans during the war and apologized for the actions of the U.S. Government which paid restitution of $20,000 cash payment to each detainee in all the internment camps.

Notable People

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Ansel Adams - Asked by camp manager to record the site on film

Howard Kumagai and Kimiko Wakamura - First couple wed in the camp.

Kenji Ogawa - First baby born in the camp.

Ralph P. Merritt - 3rd Project leader of Manzanar

Toyo Miyatake - Japanese American Photographer and detainee

National Monuments

1976 - Added to National Register of Historic Places

1985 - National Historic Landmark

1992 - National Historic Site

1972 - California Historical Landmarks

1976 - Los Angeles Historlcal Cultural Monument (Even thought Manzanar is located outside of Los Angeles.

Sources

1. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau; https://www.census.gov
2. ↑ U.S. Library of Congress; https://wwwloc.gov
3. ↑ national Archives; https://www.archives.gov
4. ↑ national Archives; https://www.archives.gov
5. ↑ National Park Service; https://www.nps.gov
6. ↑ National Park Service; https://www.nps.gov
7. ↑ National Park Service; https://www.nps.gov
8. ↑ National Park Service; https://www.nps.gov
9. ↑ National Park Service; https://www.nps.gov
10. ↑ National Park Service; https://www.nps.gov
11. ↑ National World War 2 Museum; https://www.nationalww2museum.org
12. ↑ U.S. Government; https://www.govinfo.gov
13. ↑ National Park Service; https://www.nps.gov