Japanese American Followup

First I'd like to share with you comments from our colleagues on my recent posting on the relocation of Japanese-Americans during WWII. I much appreciate their taking the time to engage with me and hope you find their comments of interest.

From Bill Cleveland former FBI Supervisory Special Agent living in California:

 Merry Christmas, Rusty. Enjoyed the text you included regarding Japanese removal. I have a good friend who, as a child, was removed from California to a camp in New Jersey. The more I think about what was done to Japanese Americans the more I wonder what’s next.

Below is an extended exchange between Col. Forest Rittgers who is retired from the Army, was my Battalion Commander in Vietnam, and is now living in Texas:

Rusty,

I read your comments regarding the internment of Japanese-Americans with great interest.  I was old enough in December 1941 to remember the public reaction to the Pearl Harbor attack (we tuned in the radio to President Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” announcement during my younger brother’s 4th birthday party.). Our dad was a reserve officer and had been called to active duty the previous year as our country leaned toward more direct involvement in the European war.  A threat from the Far East was not on the minds of the American people.  So, the announcement of a sneak attack was taken to heart.  I recall no public objections to the internment decisions.  To the contrary, they were applauded.
I can’t help but wonder what the public sympathies would be today should some sort of Islamic cabal were to strike the US.  A 9/11-style attack magnified many times over.  And our government’s reaction?  The current campus reactions to the Israeli-Hamas dispute would be but a tip of the iceberg.  I believe public reaction would be much the same as in 1941, and that folks with any Islamic connection would be quickly rounded up, if only to appease public fears.
Unlike most countries, we haven’t experienced war in our homeland since 1865.  Our people haven’t a clue as to what would take to defend our country and experience the personal tragedies and privation of living under such circumstances.

Forest

Hey Sir,

I enjoyed reading your recollections of the internment of the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. Thank you for taking the time to write and pass it on. Your efforts in doing so compel me to respond with some questions and a few thoughts.

 
First, where were you and your family living and how old were you at that time?

 
In my research of that event, I too saw no public outcry against the internment, as you indicated. There were some notable exceptions, however, and one would surprise the Hoover haters. Both the former Director and the Attorney General at that time, Francis Biddle, advised FDR against the action, saying it was illegal to incarcerate American citizens, which most of those interned were, without the "due process" of a trial in federal court for each. My research also indicated that while there were some Japanese spies in the US and the Territory of Hawaii before Dec. 7, most who spied for Japan were recruited Caucasians and serving Japanese naval officers, posing as English language students. Notable, I've not found a single case of sabotage by either Japanese or Japanese-Americans following Pearl Harbor in Hawaii or the Mainland, tho there were scores of sabotage rumors in both locations. Sabotage and fears of sabotage were the primary justifications for the relocation of Japanese populations from the Western Defense Zone. It's also interesting to me that Japanese were relocated from the West Coast states but none from Hawaii, which had a large Japanese minority.

I think your comparisons of Pearl Harbor to 9/11, to Oct 7, 2023, and our current deluge of hate crimes directed at both Jewish and Muslim targets in the US are on point. President George W. Bush was quick to go on the record following 9/11 that it was not Muslims in general that had attacked the US, but a very small fringe element of fanatics whose views did not represent the majority. I too wonder with the polarization of our country now what might happen if another terror attack of the magnitude of 9/11 were carried out by supporters of Hamas in the US? I do know the FBI and DHS have a Custodian Detention List (Program) of proscribed individuals to be rounded up should we go to war with various countries or be attacked by national, religious, and ethnic groups. The last time I recall this type of round-up was carried out domestically by the FBI was during the 2 wars we had with Iraq. I suspect in its current state of low public esteem the FBI may be slow to act. Much more likely would be vigilante attacks by lone wolf terrorists from the fringes of some of the many right-wing domestic terror groups (Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the Sovereign Citizen Movement, and the hundreds of militia groups).

Just some thoughts that spring to mind after reading your interesting and thoughtful comments. Thanks for engaging with me and I'm wondering if you'd allow this discussion to be added to a future distribution list mailing. I am always hopeful of encouraging others on the list to share their views.

Rusty

 Thanks for your very comprehensive response!  I was 10 years old and living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Dad was on the ROTC staff at Coe College, where he previously coached football, basketball, and track since 1929.  He graduated from Coe in 1925, was commissioned through its ROTC, and was serving as a reserve officer when called to active duty in 1940.

Perhaps, there were no confirmed incidents of sabotage or espionage by Japanese-Americans, because they were rounded up and interned rapidly.  I can understand why the President acted swiftly and aggressively, given the surprise attack, the fact that we were now facing aggression from 2 directions, and the natural public fear of any American citizens of Japanese,  German, or Italian ancestry.  How were they to tell friends from foes?  We faced a similar dilemma in Vietnam, trying to sort out the good guys from the bad guys.  That the internment of Japanese-Americans continued throughout the war indicates there was both official and public distrust and no good way to decide who should be released and who not.  There are higher priorities.  Perhaps, some of those interned and their offspring have sought or are seeking reparations.

 You are free to use any of this as you wish.

 Forest