Japanese American military resistors during World War II discussed
Michael Nguyen
Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: News
A lecture was held in the Recital Hall on Sept. 25 about Shirley Castelnouvo and her research and goal to bring awareness to the Japanese American military resistors during the Second World War.
During World War II, the U.S. Government feared pro-imperial support and the chance of sabotage from its Japanese American citizens. It executed Executive Order 9066 Exclusion Act to exclude and round up the Japanese citizens and immigrants that were living in the country and imprisoned them in the internment camps, surrounded with barbed wire and soldiers with guns pointing towards the camp. Castelnouvo, who is also a former NEIU professor, introduced the core ideas of her book Soldiers of Conscience: Japanese American Military Resistors in WWII in her speech. She gave background on the subject, saying that the years 1941 and 1945 were years of shame and disappointment. The country, in fear with racism, turned its back on the Japanese Americans, many of them who regarded the U.S. as their home and country. She firmly stated, "Some [historians] still insist we call them internment camps… let's call them what they are: concentration camps."
Castelnuovo said that at that time in West Coast, California, the racial hatred and prejudice was so intense because of Pearl Harbor, many of its citizens were unable to differentiate between the vile acts of the Japanese Imperial military and the Japanese Americans and immigrants that came only to find life and opportunity in this country. To them, the Japanese aliens wore the face of the enemy. She also said that although the exclusion ended in 1945, the racism was still prevalent in the West Coast. Many Japanese felt it was too dangerous to go back, so many of the displaced people settled in Chicago or migrated to other cities. It was only until the 1980s the U.S. Government realized the wrongness of their mistakes and sent letter of apologies and monetary reparations to the Japanese American families that were affected by the Exclusion Act. However, it was not enough to mend the pain that they suffered because of racism during wartime.
During World War II, the U.S. Government feared pro-imperial support and the chance of sabotage from its Japanese American citizens. It executed Executive Order 9066 Exclusion Act to exclude and round up the Japanese citizens and immigrants that were living in the country and imprisoned them in the internment camps, surrounded with barbed wire and soldiers with guns pointing towards the camp. Castelnouvo, who is also a former NEIU professor, introduced the core ideas of her book Soldiers of Conscience: Japanese American Military Resistors in WWII in her speech. She gave background on the subject, saying that the years 1941 and 1945 were years of shame and disappointment. The country, in fear with racism, turned its back on the Japanese Americans, many of them who regarded the U.S. as their home and country. She firmly stated, "Some [historians] still insist we call them internment camps… let's call them what they are: concentration camps."
Castelnuovo said that at that time in West Coast, California, the racial hatred and prejudice was so intense because of Pearl Harbor, many of its citizens were unable to differentiate between the vile acts of the Japanese Imperial military and the Japanese Americans and immigrants that came only to find life and opportunity in this country. To them, the Japanese aliens wore the face of the enemy. She also said that although the exclusion ended in 1945, the racism was still prevalent in the West Coast. Many Japanese felt it was too dangerous to go back, so many of the displaced people settled in Chicago or migrated to other cities. It was only until the 1980s the U.S. Government realized the wrongness of their mistakes and sent letter of apologies and monetary reparations to the Japanese American families that were affected by the Exclusion Act. However, it was not enough to mend the pain that they suffered because of racism during wartime.
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