After The United States stopped doing business with Japan, the Japanese decided to attack Hawaii. This happened on the morning of December 7th 1941, and over 2000 Americans were killed.

The US did not want to join World War 2 in the beginning, but it had to declare war on Japan. After that, Germany and Italy declared war on America, dragging it into World War 2.

Alert the authorities!

Japan attacked!

President Roosevelt issued the Executive Order 9066 that allowed the government to relocate anyone living in ‘’undefined military’’ areas (west coast).

Move them inland!

Yes sir!

The Order was mainly aimed at Japanese-Americans. The goal was to have them under surveillance and move them further away from the coast, so they can’t communicate with Japan and endanger the national security.

But I don't want to move!

We don't have a choice!

Japanese-Americans had only one week to pack. They had to sell their farms, businesses, and furniture at very low prices.

Come on darling, we have to leave!

I'm sad mom.

Goodbye forever!

Their pets were abandoned, their homes sold, and there was no turning back. At first, they were transferred to assembly centers.

The assembly centers were converted racetracks. They were not nice. They looked like military barracks and often smelled of animals. Many people were in the barracks at the same time.

After spending some time at the assembly centers, Japanese-Americans were permanently moved to internment camps. Those camps were located in desolate places, such as deserts and swamps.

Camp

Civilization

Families slept in barracks with 6 one-room apartments. It was crowded and they had no plumbing.

I wish there was more room for us...

The camps were fenced off, and everyone was counted twice a day. If you tried to escape and got caught, you would be killed.

Everyone is here sir...

Let's keep it that way!