Japanese Internment

Despite the question of morality raised by the japanese internment camps, the United States government was completely justified in the relocation of the japanese-American citizens given the situation the entire country was placed in during World War II. Critics of the japanese interment must take into consideration the dire position the United States was caught in after the bombing of Pearl Harbor had recently taken place. A number of Japanese-Americans located on the west coast were later discovered to have been conspiring with the Japanese military intelligence, which presented a clear message to the United States government that no risks could be taken in preserving the national security of the rest of the American citizens. Although the Japanese internment can be compared the the concurrent Jewish concentration camps to some extent, the Japanese were not subjected to the harsh labor or starvation conditions experienced by their Jewish counterparts. In addition, the Japanese were offered financial compensation for their lost property and businesses both before and after their stay in the internment camps, while the Jewish population in Germany were subjected to the destruction of their property during the Kristallnacht. Some individuals have also argued that the relocation of the japanese population was a direct violation of civil rights granted by the U.S. Constitution; however, unconstitutional measures were also taken in the past during times of imminent warfare and civil unrest. A prime example of such an instance is the suspension of habeas corpus by Abraham Lincoln during the civil war. In order to discourage further riots and local militia rebellions, Lincoln was motivated by both his generals and the national security of his people to withhold their to a court during a time of national