History & Words: ‘Internment’ (February 19)
Welcome to ‘History & Words.’ I’m Prashant, founder of Wordpandit and the Learning Inc. Network. This series combines my passion for language learning with historical context. Each entry explores a word’s significance on a specific date, enhancing vocabulary while deepening understanding of history. Join me in this journey of words through time.
๐ Table of Contents
๐ Word of the Day: Internment
Pronunciation: /ษชnหtษหnmษnt/ (in-TURN-muhnt)
๐ Introduction
On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, a decision that led to one of the most controversial actions in American history: the mass internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. This executive order authorized the removal of any or all people from military areas “as deemed necessary or desirable,” ultimately resulting in the forced relocation and confinement of approximately 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, two-thirds of whom were American citizens.
The word “internment” took on profound significance during this period, representing not just the act of confinement but also raising fundamental questions about civil liberties, constitutional rights, and the balance between national security and individual freedom. This episode stands as a stark reminder of how fear and prejudice can lead to the compromise of democratic principles.
The impact of this decision continues to resonate in contemporary discussions about civil rights, national security, and constitutional protections, serving as both a warning and a lesson about the importance of protecting civil liberties during times of national crisis.
๐ฑ Etymology
The word “internment” derives from the Medieval Latin “internare,” meaning “to confine within bounds.” The term evolved from the Latin “internus” (internal) and entered English usage in the 17th century. Initially used in medical contexts to describe internal processes, its meaning expanded to encompass the confinement of people, particularly during wartime or periods of political tension.
๐ Key Vocabulary
- ๐ Executive Order: A directive issued by the President of the United States that manages operations of the federal government and has the force of law.
- ๐ Relocation Center: The euphemistic term used by the government to describe the camps where Japanese Americans were confined.
- ๐ Nisei: Second-generation Japanese Americans, born in the United States and holding American citizenship.
- ๐ Military Exclusion Zone: Areas designated by the military from which specific populations could be removed under Executive Order 9066.
- ๐ Redress: The act of seeking compensation for wrongs or damages, as in the movement for Japanese American redress in the 1980s.
๐๏ธ Historical Context
The internment of Japanese Americans did not occur in isolation but emerged from a complex historical context of anti-Asian sentiment on the West Coast dating back to the 19th century. Prior to World War II, Japanese immigrants and their American-born children faced various forms of discrimination, including alien land laws that restricted their ability to own property and naturalization restrictions that prevented first-generation immigrants from becoming citizens.
The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, intensified existing prejudices and led to immediate consequences for the Japanese American community. In the weeks following the attack, FBI agents arrested community leaders, froze bank accounts, and imposed curfews on Japanese Americans.
The decision to intern Japanese Americans was influenced by several factors, including wartime hysteria, economic competition, and racist attitudes. Notable military and political figures, including General John L. DeWitt, promoted the false notion that Japanese Americans posed a security threat, despite lack of evidence and contrary intelligence reports from the FBI and naval intelligence.
โณ Timeline
- December 7, 1941: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
- December 8, 1941: FBI begins arresting Japanese American community leaders
- February 19, 1942: Executive Order 9066 signed
- March 1942: First Civilian Exclusion Orders issued
- March-August 1942: Mass evacuation and relocation
- January 2, 1945: Exclusion Order rescinded
- March 1946: Last internment camp closes
- 1976: Executive Order 9066 officially rescinded by President Gerald Ford
- 1988: Civil Liberties Act provides redress payments and formal apology
๐ The Day’s Significance
February 19, 1942, marks a crucial turning point in American civil rights history. The signing of Executive Order 9066 set in motion a series of events that would upend the lives of entire communities and challenge fundamental principles of American democracy. The order’s deliberately vague language avoided explicitly mentioning Japanese Americans, but its implementation targeted this community almost exclusively.
The impact was immediate and devastating. Families were given as little as 48 hours to dispose of their property, businesses, and possessions before being transported to temporary assembly centers and then to more permanent camps in remote areas. The economic losses were staggering, with estimates suggesting Japanese Americans lost between $1-3 billion in property (in 1940s dollars).
The camps themselves, euphemistically called “relocation centers,” were essentially prison compounds surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers. Families lived in cramped barracks with minimal privacy and inadequate facilities. Despite these conditions, internees established communities within the camps, creating schools, newspapers, and cultural activities.
๐ฌ Quote
“Americanism is not, and never was, a matter of race or ancestry.” – Mike Masaoka, Japanese American Citizens League leader, 1941
๐ฎ Modern Usage and Reflection
Today, the term “internment” carries heavy historical weight, particularly in discussions of civil rights and government power. The Japanese American internment serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of sacrificing constitutional rights in the name of national security, especially relevant in post-9/11 debates about civil liberties and national security measures.
๐๏ธ Legacy
The legacy of Japanese American internment continues to influence political discourse, legal decisions, and civil rights advocacy. The successful redress movement of the 1980s, culminating in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, established an important precedent for government accountability and the recognition of historical wrongs.
๐ Comparative Analysis
While initially defended as a military necessity, historical analysis has thoroughly discredited the rationale for internment. Modern scholarship emphasizes how racial prejudice, economic interests, and wartime hysteria combined to create this policy, contrasting sharply with the treatment of German and Italian Americans during the same period.
๐ก Did You Know?
๐ Conclusion
The story of Japanese American internment stands as a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting civil liberties and constitutional rights, especially during times of national crisis. It demonstrates how quickly fear and prejudice can override fundamental democratic principles, while also showcasing the resilience of communities in the face of injustice and their long-term pursuit of recognition and redress.
๐ Further Reading
- ๐ “Years of Infamy: The Untold Story of America’s Concentration Camps” by Michi Weglyn
- ๐ “Personal Justice Denied” – Report of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians
- ๐ “By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans” by Greg Robinson
