Paul Kusuda’s column
DAY TO REMEMBER FOR MANY NISEI
DAY TO REMEMBER FOR MANY NISEI
PART 1 OF 2
By Paul H. Kusuda
For the Japanese American Citizens League and for many Nisei (Japanese Americans,
first generation born in the U.S.), February has special meaning even though the date
remembered occurred decades ago. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
promulgated Executive Order 9066 that gave the Secretary of War authority to establish
specific areas “…from which any and all persons may be excluded.” A day later, Secretary
Henry L. Stimson carried out that Order. He was also “…authorized to provide for
residents…transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary.”
We were at war with Germany, Italy, and Japan (Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941). Yet,
only persons of Japanese ancestry were uprooted as a group and forcibly evacuated from the
By Paul H. Kusuda
For the Japanese American Citizens League and for many Nisei (Japanese Americans,
first generation born in the U.S.), February has special meaning even though the date
remembered occurred decades ago. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
promulgated Executive Order 9066 that gave the Secretary of War authority to establish
specific areas “…from which any and all persons may be excluded.” A day later, Secretary
Henry L. Stimson carried out that Order. He was also “…authorized to provide for
residents…transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary.”
We were at war with Germany, Italy, and Japan (Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941). Yet,
only persons of Japanese ancestry were uprooted as a group and forcibly evacuated from the
west coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. Of the approximately 120,000 persons involved, two-thirds were
American citizens, euphemistically called non-aliens. Only persons of Japanese ancestry were summarily, without trial or
allegation, removed from the West Coast. Persons of German or Italian ancestry were individually identified, and if
determined to be of possible danger to our country, sent to internment camps. The same procedure had been followed
immediately after the Pearl Harbor attack for a number of men (most of whom had been born in Japan) identified as
possible trouble-makers by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Thus, about ten weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack, Secretary Stimson had been authorized to establish military
areas. He acted quickly. On February 26 (just one week after E.O. 9066 was issued), persons of Japanese ancestry
received 48-hours’ notice that they had to move miles inland, no set distance stated, from Terminal Island, California,
where families had lived for decades as commercial fishers, primarily tuna, and as cannery workers.
I joined men from Los Angeles to help Terminal Islanders meet the deadline for move. The chaos, emotional upset,
fear, anger, and deadened dismay had to be set aside by those of us who volunteered to help find temporary shelter for
the men, women, children, and infants, many of whom had no friend or relative with whom they could stay for an indefinite
period of time. There had been no advance warning; no time to plan; no time to store or dispose of personal
possessions. Downtown Los Angeles churches and Buddhist Temples became temporary havens. Public facilities or
programs were non-existent. About three months later, most were sent, this time at government expense, to the Manzanar
Relocation Center near Death Valley, California.
The abruptness of the order for mass evacuation was harsh, inhumane, and totally unexpected. Terminal Islanders
were initial targets of governmental action driven by security concerns and obvious racism because as fishers, their
occupation required going far into the Pacific Ocean to catch large-sized tuna. Safety and other concerns relating
to their occupation meant they needed to be able to communicate quickly between boats and with those on shore about
likely spots for tuna, weather conditions, estimated time of return, etc. The obvious means of communication—short-wave
radios. As the caricatured remark goes, “Ah, so---!” It was clear to those suspicious of Japanese and Japanese
Americans living on the West Coast that the short-wave radios would be used to communicate with our enemies in
Japan. Thus, no time should be lost to sever possible links with the enemy. All short-wave radios had to be confiscated
and potential evil-doers banished from the area.
Security concerns and racism over-rode civil rights. The entire group of Terminal Islanders of Japanese ancestry had
to be removed immediately even though federal authorities were not prepared to provide “…transportation, food, shelter,
and other accommodations as may be necessary.” There was complete disregard of adverse effects on the involved
families. And, most of America was completely unaware of what happened. Even now, that chapter in American history is
not known, not even to many Americans of Japanese ancestry.
Executive Order 9066 is remembered for the fact that while it provided authority to exclude any and all persons from so-
called military areas, it was applied as a group sanction only to persons of Japanese ancestry. According to U.S. Census
definitions, that would be anyone who was one-eighth Japanese, that is anyone who had a Japanese great-grandparent.
The Exclusion Order specified: “No Japanese person will be permitted to enter or leave the…area…without obtaining
special permission from the Provost Marshall at the Civil Control Station…” Instructions were included as part of posted
notices. Families were not provided copies, so people had to depend on memory after standing around reading the
posters signed by J. L. DeWitt, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army Commanding (sic).
American citizens, euphemistically called non-aliens. Only persons of Japanese ancestry were summarily, without trial or
allegation, removed from the West Coast. Persons of German or Italian ancestry were individually identified, and if
determined to be of possible danger to our country, sent to internment camps. The same procedure had been followed
immediately after the Pearl Harbor attack for a number of men (most of whom had been born in Japan) identified as
possible trouble-makers by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Thus, about ten weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack, Secretary Stimson had been authorized to establish military
areas. He acted quickly. On February 26 (just one week after E.O. 9066 was issued), persons of Japanese ancestry
received 48-hours’ notice that they had to move miles inland, no set distance stated, from Terminal Island, California,
where families had lived for decades as commercial fishers, primarily tuna, and as cannery workers.
I joined men from Los Angeles to help Terminal Islanders meet the deadline for move. The chaos, emotional upset,
fear, anger, and deadened dismay had to be set aside by those of us who volunteered to help find temporary shelter for
the men, women, children, and infants, many of whom had no friend or relative with whom they could stay for an indefinite
period of time. There had been no advance warning; no time to plan; no time to store or dispose of personal
possessions. Downtown Los Angeles churches and Buddhist Temples became temporary havens. Public facilities or
programs were non-existent. About three months later, most were sent, this time at government expense, to the Manzanar
Relocation Center near Death Valley, California.
The abruptness of the order for mass evacuation was harsh, inhumane, and totally unexpected. Terminal Islanders
were initial targets of governmental action driven by security concerns and obvious racism because as fishers, their
occupation required going far into the Pacific Ocean to catch large-sized tuna. Safety and other concerns relating
to their occupation meant they needed to be able to communicate quickly between boats and with those on shore about
likely spots for tuna, weather conditions, estimated time of return, etc. The obvious means of communication—short-wave
radios. As the caricatured remark goes, “Ah, so---!” It was clear to those suspicious of Japanese and Japanese
Americans living on the West Coast that the short-wave radios would be used to communicate with our enemies in
Japan. Thus, no time should be lost to sever possible links with the enemy. All short-wave radios had to be confiscated
and potential evil-doers banished from the area.
Security concerns and racism over-rode civil rights. The entire group of Terminal Islanders of Japanese ancestry had
to be removed immediately even though federal authorities were not prepared to provide “…transportation, food, shelter,
and other accommodations as may be necessary.” There was complete disregard of adverse effects on the involved
families. And, most of America was completely unaware of what happened. Even now, that chapter in American history is
not known, not even to many Americans of Japanese ancestry.
Executive Order 9066 is remembered for the fact that while it provided authority to exclude any and all persons from so-
called military areas, it was applied as a group sanction only to persons of Japanese ancestry. According to U.S. Census
definitions, that would be anyone who was one-eighth Japanese, that is anyone who had a Japanese great-grandparent.
The Exclusion Order specified: “No Japanese person will be permitted to enter or leave the…area…without obtaining
special permission from the Provost Marshall at the Civil Control Station…” Instructions were included as part of posted
notices. Families were not provided copies, so people had to depend on memory after standing around reading the
posters signed by J. L. DeWitt, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army Commanding (sic).
Next month, I shall give details about the
Civilian Exclusion Orders posted in Los Angeles
on telephone poles and a bit more about the
enforced evacuation. It should be noted that
because I was incensed and more than
disappointed about the Constitutional injustice,
my viewpoint results from personal opinions. My
wife and I, being long-time members of the
Japanese American Citizens League, support the
JACL position that though difficult, cooperation
with governmental decisions was essential
despite personal aversion to the abrogation of
civil liberties and deprivation of constitutional
rights.
Civilian Exclusion Orders posted in Los Angeles
on telephone poles and a bit more about the
enforced evacuation. It should be noted that
because I was incensed and more than
disappointed about the Constitutional injustice,
my viewpoint results from personal opinions. My
wife and I, being long-time members of the
Japanese American Citizens League, support the
JACL position that though difficult, cooperation
with governmental decisions was essential
despite personal aversion to the abrogation of
civil liberties and deprivation of constitutional
rights.