Interviews
Political motivation to keep the camps open until end of 1944 election
I knew that there was a very strong political reason for keeping the camps open beyond November of ‘44, which was the presidential election. I put my head together with Donna Komure, who was the young lawyer on the Commission [staff] and we both decided to hand over to Mr. Brooke a few of the documents that specifically said, “Don’t close the camps until after the election is over,” meaning we might lose votes on the West Coast if we do that [close the camps]; that the anti-Japanese group will be so angry at us. And we were able to give to Mr. Brooke two or three documents from different high-level people—the attorney general, the Chief of Staff [General] George C. Marshall, and McCloy himself—that [these papers] confirmed that there was this other reason for not closing the camps; and it was totally political [advantage].
They wanted to wait [to announce camp closings] until Mr. Roosevelt was re-elected. Then, of course, in December [1944], they announced the closing of the camps [after the president was successfully re-elected to his fourth term and after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Endo]. Mr. Brooke was very happy to have actual proof, directly from the Archives, to show that there was this political motivation to keep the camps open until such time [after the presidential election].
Date: August 26, 1998
Location: Virginia, US
Interviewer: Darcie Iki, Mitchell Maki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Family's deportation from Peru to U.S. after the bombing of Pearl Harbor
(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.
Conditions aboard U.S. transport ship while being deported from Peru
(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.
Receiving a negative reaction from father upon asking about World War II experience
(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor
Memories of dusty conditions at Minidoka incarceration camp
(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.
Ransacking of family home by FBI following the bombing of Pearl Harbor
(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.
Witnessing father's arrest through a child's eyes
(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.
Participating in military drills in school in Japan during the war
(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.
Hearing anti-American war propaganda from a teacher
(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.
The hardships of life in Japan during World War II
(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.
Neighbor took care of hotel business during the World War II
(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer
Anti-Japanese sentiment at the time of World War II
(b. 1918) Issei businessman in Canada
The Perspective of Youth
(1923–2006) Community activist. Co-founded the Manzanar Committee
Choice to move east or go to Japan
(b.1920) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Established the Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Toronto
Remembering December 7, 1941
(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation