Japanese Internment

Japanese Internment By: Quinn, Ruben, Austin and Fred

Pearl Harbor Bombing • Well the attack on Pearl Harbor affected Canada because after the attack we declared war on Japan before the US did. it affected the world because it brought the US into the second world war, after the attack on pearl harbor The US declared war on Germany and Japan. The reason Germany was the main priority was because the allied nations decided on a Europe first thing and after that the would use there combined strength to attack Japan.

Life In Canada After the Bombing • After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor their life in Canada was changed dramatically in the sense that their right were gone they were placed in camps and the Japanese Canadians were treated less than the Canadian citizens.

Internment Camps • There were ten internment Camps in total; they consisted of: three road camps, two prisoner of war camps (POW), and five self supporting camps scattered throughout Canada during the second World War. Prior to World War II, 22,096 Japanese Canadians lived in British Colombia; three quarters of them were naturalized or native born Canadians.

Why The Internment Camps Were Created • Many historians believe internments camps came about because of racist attitudes Canadians held towards Japanese Canadian's-many of whom lived in BC. Once the bombing on Pearl Harbor happened racism came to a head. British Columbians started to blame all their troubles and problems on the Japanese. Japanese people were blamed for everything from a bad crop to a flat tire. The scared people of BC cried out, wanting the BC Government to deal with the problem as they saw it-Japanese Canadians. The people of British Columbia wanted to feel safe in their homes again and they wanted Prime Minister Mackenzie King to rid Canada of people of Japanese origin. They were causing a threat to Canada (or so it was believed by the public.) Mackenzie King wanted the votes from B.C. so he was more than happy to do what they asked. Mackenzie's first order of business was to incarcerate all Japanese males between the ages 14 and 45. They were ordered to move more than 160 km inland. This was to "safe guard" the pacific coast from Japanese spies. The Canadian government took away all of the Japanese fishing fleets, in order to protect Canada.

Statistics about The Camps • Over a nine month period 22,000 people were taken from their homes and scattered throughout BC. By October 1942, the Canadian government had set up 8 internment camps in interior BC. They were in Kaslo, New Denver, Tashme, Roseberry, Slocan City, Lemon Creek, Sandon, and Greenwood. Tashme was named after the 3 leading BC's security commissioners; TAlor, SHirras, and MEad.

Choices For The Japanese • The war caused a large labor shortage for farmers, especially sugar beet farmers. The Security Commission Council organized sugar beet projects to combat the labor shortage. This gave the Japanese males a choice. The choice was to work in road camps as slaves or go to the beet camps and be with their families. Working in the beet camps was the choice taken by the majority of Japanese married men.

Bibliography • http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/canadianhistory/camps/internment1.html

Japanese Internment