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Eyewitness to Japanese Internment: Eyewitness to World War II

Dennis Hayes

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Published in Eyewitness To Japanese Internment (Eyewitness To World War II)

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In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States government authorized the internment of over 120,000 people of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were American citizens. This shameful chapter in American history is documented in the book Eyewitness to Japanese Internment: Eyewitness to World War II, which features firsthand accounts from those who experienced the internment firsthand.

The following excerpt from the book tells the story of a young Japanese American woman named Mary Tsukamoto, who was interned at the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California.

Eyewitness to Japanese Internment (Eyewitness to World War II)

by Jill Roesler

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	13844 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	33 pages

I was 16 years old when the war broke out. I was living in San Francisco with my parents and my two younger brothers. My father was a fisherman, and my mother was a homemaker. We were a close family, and we were very happy.
After Pearl Harbor, everything changed. The FBI came to our house and arrested my father. He was taken to a detention center, and we never saw him again. My mother was told that we had to leave our home and report to the nearest assembly center.
We were sent to the Tanforan Assembly Center, which was a converted racetrack. We lived in horse stalls, and the conditions were terrible. There was no privacy, and the food was awful. We were treated like criminals, even though we had done nothing wrong.
After a few months at Tanforan, we were sent to the Manzanar War Relocation Center. Manzanar was located in the desert, and it was even worse than Tanforan. The barracks were hot and crowded, and the food was even worse. We were forced to work long hours in the fields, and we were constantly harassed by the guards.
I spent two years at Manzanar. It was the most difficult time of my life. I was constantly afraid, and I didn't know if I would ever see my family again. But I never gave up hope. I knew that I was innocent, and I was determined to prove it.
After the war ended, I was finally released from Manzanar. I returned to San Francisco and started rebuilding my life. It wasn't easy, but I eventually found a job and a place to live. I also got married and had a family of my own.
I never forgot my experience at Manzanar. It taught me the importance of fighting for what you believe in, even when the odds are stacked against you. I also learned that hope is the most powerful weapon we have.

Eyewitness to Japanese Internment: Eyewitness to World War II is a powerful and moving account of the Japanese American experience during World War II. It is a story of courage, resilience, and hope. It is a story that should never be forgotten.

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Eyewitness to Japanese Internment: Eyewitness to World War II is available now at all major bookstores. Free Download your copy today and learn the true story of the Japanese American experience during World War II.

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Eyewitness to Japanese Internment (Eyewitness to World War II)

by Jill Roesler

5 out of 5