Courtesy of hawaiireporter.com
I chose the topic of Japanese-American racial barriers in WWII because of references to the exclusion and internment that I saw last year while researching the battleships damaged at Pearl Harbor and repaired at the Puget Sound Naval Yard in Bremerton, Washington. I felt this year's theme of Breaking Barriers provided a great opportunity to investigate the subject.
I first learned that publicity surrounding the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's rescue of the "Lost Battalion" ignited a positive change in public attitude toward Japanese Americans at a Humanities Washington presentation. This presentation about the lessons to be learned from the Japanese exclusion was by Clarence Moriwaki, President of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community. He spoke about the injustice that so many Japanese suffered when their basic rights were voided by America's fear. Families and individuals lost their possessions and livelihoods when they were targeted and unconstitutionally incarcerated by the U.S. Government. He also spoke of how the compassion the Woodwards showed their Japanese neighbors helped their return and recovery from internment.
I began my research by visiting the Japanese American Historical Plaza and History Museum in Portland, Oregon. I then visited the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and Historical Museum. I continued by visiting the Heart Mountain, Wyoming and Tule Lake, California Relocation Camp sites. Along the way I collected books, photos, videos, news articles, websites, and a new perspective.
I chose to create a website due to the volume of information to share coupled with my belief that a website provides the best opportunity to do so. I like the interactiveness of a website, the ability to share it with additional viewers, and that it allows the use of multiple forms of communication.
As I learned more about the increased prejudice propogated by fear after Pearl Harbor being reduced by the performance of Nisei troops, I developed my thesis that Japanese Americans had been able to break racial barriers during WWII.
Nisei soldiers of the 442nd RCT broke both the physical barrier of barbed wire encircled internment camps to fight in Europe AND the societal barrier of racial prejudice through their demonstration of fearless valor in combat thereby proving that they were loyal and trustworthy citizens regardless of their ancestry. Their achievements supplied the evidence that began to break down America's anti-Japanese barriers. Immigration, citizenship, and land ownership laws were rewritten. Many of the 442nd's veterans, including Art Koura, became beloved and respected community leaders after WWII, validating that they had indeed broken through discriminatory racial barriers.
What happened to Japanese Americans during WWII provides a sobering lesson about what can happen when emotional hyperbole drives governmental policy -- namely the loss of civil liberties and the intentional institutionalization of discrimination against a class of people.
It is increasingly important that we do not let fear uncategorically control our response to modern events such as the 9/11 attacks and the current global pandemic. We must do our best to remember that ancestry and race should not automatically incur discrimination and prejudice. The Woodwards provided a wonderful example for us to follow. Compassion is a powerful ally.
Nidoto Nai Yoni -- Let it Not Happen Again