Japanese Americans had come to America in mainly to work labor on farm camps. Japanese immigrants helped to introduce sophisticated irrigation methods allowing for the cultivation of crops that previously could not have been produced.
Agricultural community
Japanese agricultural communities developed in rural areas. Before long most of the Japanese population was involved in agriculture.
Pearl Harbor
On the morning of December 7, 1941, an attack was carried out by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor targeting primarily the battleships stationed at Battleship Row in an effort to demobilize the US Navy.
Media Coverage
The attack on Pearl Harbor made it into newspapers immediately. This caused a lot of anger and discrimination towards Japanese Americans by the rest of the population. This attack on US property caused the United States to join in World War II despite previously deciding to remain neutral.
Executive Order 9066
In response to the bombings on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which authorized the removal of any persons from military areas "as deemed necessary or desirable". The military then classified the entire West Coast, home to the majority of Japanese American citizens, as being a military area.
Forced to leave
As part of Executive Order 9066, thousands of Japanese Americans were forced out of their homes, such as the family shown in the picture being forced from their home in Hood River, and into internment camps.
Transportation
Above shows one of the military transport trucks carrying Japanese Americans to take them to internment camps.
The Portland Assembly Center, previously used as a stockyard, was filled with cubicles to house those forced out of their homes. The assembly center housed about 3,500 people. Living conditions were cramped and disease also spread throughout.
Internment Camps
Above shows a map of the Internment camps that Japanese Americans were forced into after being removed from their homes in the West Coast.
Japanese American Soldiers
Despite discrimination, Japanese Americans still fought in the military during World War II. Above pictures the 422 Regimental Combat Team, comprised of all Japanese-Americans. Most of their families were still being held in internment camps.
