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Assignment 18 Topaz Internment Camp

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Assignment 18 Topaz Internment Camp
Hist. 1302
Assignment 18
Topaz Internment Camp
The Topaz Internment Camp was a camp that illegally housed Japanese Americans and Japanese born immigrants from Japan. Shortly after the United States entry into World War II in 1939, about 120,000 Japanese born and Japanese Americans were forced to live their homes in West Coast California and Washington in 1942 as a result of Executive order 9066 signed by President Franklin Roosevelt. The camp located in Utah, opened on September 11, 1942 and was formerly known as the Central Utah Relocation Center. However, the name was abandoned after the realization was made that the acronym pronounced the word “cursed.” It was then renamed Topaz after a mountain that overlooked camp 9.
The Japanese Americans with the immigrants were transported from San Francisco area to Delta, Utah by train. The camp processed over 11,000 humans during it period with a topmost population of about 8,300 people of Japanese descent. Schools and a hospital were the major structures of the camp. To shop outside the camp, a pass must be obtained by the individual or risk losing a …show more content…
George Murakami, an 85 year old survivor of camp Topaz recounted his ordeal while living in the camp as a teenager. He said “we got shot at in the tent city” and ultimately, a 63 year old James Waskasa was shot and killed by a guard just by standing near the fence. This is racism showing it ugly head in the lives of many. Many of them lost their personal properties including lands. Many died or suffered from lack of medical care. The incarceration of the Japanese Americans and the immigrants of that era were by far an injustice and inhumane act towards fellow human beings. It is essential for the nation to come to the understanding and acceptance of the splendors and shame of her past in order to bring healing to the Japanese Americans people for what was done to them was a great
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