Responsibilities of the Government
The government was responsible for over 110,000 Japanese-Americans that were relocated to internment camps in 1942. The government at that time had responsibilities that they did not keep. They had the responsibility to know that most of the Japanese-Americans were allegiant citizens of the United States and did not pose a threat. Therefore, they had the responsibility to keep them out of internment camps. They also had the responsibility to tell the public that they didn't need to worry about the Japanese-Americans being spies, traitors, or rebels because most of them were loyal citizens. They shouldn't have given into the pressure of politicians and the public urging them to relocate Japanese-Americans. In 1988, the Civil Liberties Act gave each living Japanese-American that was in an Internment camp $20,000 and apologized to them. Apologizing and paying them does not make it okay for Japanese-Americans to have been interned.Also, each Japanese-American had lost more than $20,000. They lost their property, jobs, and houses when they were relocated. In the internment camps, the government offered the Japanese-Americans jobs, but only paid them very small amounts of money. When they were released from the internment camps, many of them couldn't find jobs for a very long time. They didn't have anywhere to live, either. Even if the government paid the Japanese-Americans enough to cover the cost of what was lost, they could not pay the Japanese-Americans for their emotions that were changed from being in internment camps for over two years. They also could never pay for the families and friends that were killed because of internment camps. The government was responsible for the deaths and changed emotions of the Japanese-Americans. This would never have happened if the government was responsible and did not relocate more than 110,000 Japanese-Americans into internment camps.
"Meanwhile, in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and elsewhere, quarters were being built where they would have an opportunity to work and more space in which to live. When word came that these new homes were ready, the final movement began."
"The Japanese race is an enemy race and while many second and third generation Japanese born on United States soil possessed of U.S. citizenship have become “Americanized” the racial strains are undiluted. It then follows that along the vital Pacific Coast over 112,000 potential enemies, of Japanese extraction, are at large today. There are indications that these were organized and ready for concerted action at a favorable opportunity. The very fact that no sabotage has taken place to date is a disturbing and confirming indication that such action will be taken."
-DeWitt's Final Report: Japanese Evacuation from the West Coast, 1942, and the government's brief to the Supreme Court Defending Ex. Order 9066
"Notices were posted. All persons of Japanese decent were required to register. They gathered in their own churches and schools and the Japanese themselves cheerfully handled the enormous paperwork involved in the migration. Civilian physicians made preliminary medical examinations. Government agencies helped in a hundred ways. They helped the evacuees find tenants for their farms. They helped businessmen lease, sell, or store their property. This aid was financed by the government, but quick disposal of property often involved financial sacrifice for the evacuees."