Japanese Women in Internment Camps

I read a piece from the Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies. In this journal it discusses Japanese American women during World War II, in specific the life in camp. Much of this section is relevant in our topic for the documentary because it talks about every day life in the camp.

In the article it talked about the struggles that the women had being relocated, living in the camp, and after the camp. It is very sad what they had to go through. In the beginning it discusses life in the the camp. The journal talks about how bad living conditions were for the people. It cause problems in the family and altered the relationships that were developed post war. They battled with the elements along with bad food and lack of the essentials such as toilet paper, etc.

It also talked about what happened to these women after they were released from this camp. The Japanese women who went to school and work became very self-concious. They were met by hostility from caucasians and they felt intimidated. Once confident women became fearful of others.

It is sad to see how the Japanese people were treated. They were forced to leave their homes, possessions, jobs, etc. and move to an unknown place. It was cruel and unnecessary. I do not know how I would react if I were to be placed in their shoes but I would have probably felt the pain and other emotions they felt. They were betrayed by their own country and their own pride was stripped from them.

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3346082?uid=3739928&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21101769363781