War on the HomefrontWar on the Homefront QUESTION 1: QUESTION 1:

What is more important to you: What is more important to you: Civil liberties (democracy, Civil liberties (democracy, individual freedoms, rights etc.) individual freedoms, rights etc.) OR National SecurityOR National Security

QUESTION 2:QUESTION 2:Would this change during war? Would this change during war? Why or why not?Why or why not?

During WWII, the Canadian During WWII, the Canadian Government Interned Government Interned Japanese CanadiansJapanese Canadians

Japanese Aggression…Japanese Aggression… Japanese expansion in East Asia began in 1931 with Japanese expansion in East Asia began in 1931 with

the invasion of Manchuria and continued in 1937 with the invasion of Manchuria and continued in 1937 with a brutal attack on China.a brutal attack on China.

On February 24On February 24thth, 1933, Japan stuns the world and , 1933, Japan stuns the world and withdraws from the League of Nations.withdraws from the League of Nations.

The Tripartite PactThe Tripartite Pact On September 27, On September 27,

1940, Japan signed 1940, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact the Tripartite Pact with Germany and with Germany and Italy, thus entering Italy, thus entering the military the military alliance known as alliance known as the "Axis." the "Axis."

Embargo Against JapanEmbargo Against Japan the United States, the United States,

Britain and the Britain and the Netherlands froze all Netherlands froze all Japanese financial Japanese financial assets. The effect was assets. The effect was to prevent Japan from to prevent Japan from purchasing oil, which purchasing oil, which would, in time, cripple would, in time, cripple its army and make its its army and make its navy and air force navy and air force completely useless. completely useless.

Japanese Bomb Pearl Japanese Bomb Pearl Harbour!Harbour!

December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt declares it “The Day of Infamy”.declares it “The Day of Infamy”.

The Battle of HongThe Battle of Hong KongKong Hong Kong surrendered Hong Kong surrendered

on Christmas Day 1941. on Christmas Day 1941. Of the 1,975 Canadians, Of the 1,975 Canadians,

290 were killed and 493 290 were killed and 493 wounded. A further 260 wounded. A further 260 died in the awful died in the awful conditions of prison conditions of prison camps in Hong Kong camps in Hong Kong and Japan. and Japan.

Japanese Canadians in Japanese Canadians in British ColumbiaBritish Columbia

First Generation (Issei)First Generation (Issei)

First immigrants landed in 1877First immigrants landed in 1877 Faced xenophobia from ‘white’ Faced xenophobia from ‘white’

Canadians and viewed as unable to Canadians and viewed as unable to assimilate compared to Europeansassimilate compared to Europeans

Japanese culture important to you Japanese culture important to you and you are viewed still hold a and you are viewed still hold a strong allegiance to Japanstrong allegiance to Japan

In Canada during the 1940s- Issei In Canada during the 1940s- Issei denied the right to vote and denied denied the right to vote and denied jobs in civil service and teaching jobs in civil service and teaching and paid lower wages that whitesand paid lower wages that whites

Primarily fisherman or fishing Primarily fisherman or fishing businessesbusinesses

Second Generation (Nisei)Second Generation (Nisei)

Canadian born; fluent in English, Canadian born; fluent in English, well educatedwell educated

Face anti-Japanese prejudicesFace anti-Japanese prejudices No voting rights due to No voting rights due to

opposition from Anglo Canadians opposition from Anglo Canadians and British Columbia residentsand British Columbia residents

Prime Minister Mackenzie King Prime Minister Mackenzie King stated that both the Issei and stated that both the Issei and Nisei face “extreme difficulty in Nisei face “extreme difficulty in assimilated into Canadian assimilated into Canadian culture”.culture”.

Primarily fisherman or fishing Primarily fisherman or fishing businessesbusinesses

Anglo-Canadian Anglo-Canadian Reactions to Japanese Reactions to Japanese

CanadiansCanadians Perceived as a threat to British Perceived as a threat to British

Columbia’s ethnic ‘purity’Columbia’s ethnic ‘purity’ Did not want them living in Did not want them living in

communities as J-C could not communities as J-C could not assimilate and remained assimilate and remained immersed in own cultureimmersed in own culture

Anti-Japanese demonstrations Anti-Japanese demonstrations were increasing and the were increasing and the Japanese Canadians were not Japanese Canadians were not well integrated or accepted by well integrated or accepted by the local population.the local population.

Resentment against Japanese Resentment against Japanese Canadians exploded into panic Canadians exploded into panic and anger in British Columbia and anger in British Columbia in 1930sin 1930s

The Canadian War Measures The Canadian War Measures ActAct

““gave the government gave the government sweeping powers to ensure sweeping powers to ensure the security, defence, peace, the security, defence, peace, order, and welfare of order, and welfare of Canada.”Canada.”

Used to imprison Used to imprison CANADIANSCANADIANS of German, Ukrainian, and of German, Ukrainian, and Slavic descent in WWI.Slavic descent in WWI.

In 1941, following bombing of In 1941, following bombing of Pearl Harbour, 1,200 fishing Pearl Harbour, 1,200 fishing boats were seized by the boats were seized by the Canadian navy Canadian navy

By Canadian Government By Canadian Government order, 23 000 Japanese order, 23 000 Japanese Canadians were interned and Canadians were interned and moved into campsmoved into camps

Japanese Internment in Japanese Internment in CanadaCanada

■ The movement of 23,000 Japanese Canadians during the war was the largest mass exodus in Canadian history.

Internment TimelineInternment Timeline 1941 (December 8):1941 (December 8): 1,200 Japanese Canadian fishing boats are 1,200 Japanese Canadian fishing boats are

impounded. Japanese language newspapers and schools close.impounded. Japanese language newspapers and schools close. 1942 (January 16):1942 (January 16): Removal begins of Japanese immigrant Removal begins of Japanese immigrant

males from coastal areas.males from coastal areas. 1942 (February 24):1942 (February 24): All male Japanese Canadian citizens All male Japanese Canadian citizens

between the ages of 18 and 45 ordered to be removed from between the ages of 18 and 45 ordered to be removed from 100-mile-wide zone along the coast of British Columbia.100-mile-wide zone along the coast of British Columbia.

1942 (February 26):1942 (February 26): Mass evacuation of Japanese Canadians Mass evacuation of Japanese Canadians begins. Some given only 24 hours notice. Cars, cameras and begins. Some given only 24 hours notice. Cars, cameras and radios confiscated for “protective measures”. Curfew radios confiscated for “protective measures”. Curfew imposed.imposed.

1942 (March 4):1942 (March 4): Japanese Canadians ordered to turn over Japanese Canadians ordered to turn over property and belongings to Custodian of Enemy Alien Property property and belongings to Custodian of Enemy Alien Property as a “protective measure only”. as a “protective measure only”.

1942 (March 25):1942 (March 25): British Columbia Security Commission British Columbia Security Commission initiates scheme of forcing men to road camps and women and initiates scheme of forcing men to road camps and women and children to “ghost town” detention camps.children to “ghost town” detention camps.

Justified?Justified?YESYES Prime Minister Mackenzie King took Prime Minister Mackenzie King took

necessary precautions to ensure national necessary precautions to ensure national security of Canada and North America, as security of Canada and North America, as the US had also interned Japanese-the US had also interned Japanese-AmericansAmericans

Despite no evidence of threat, there was Despite no evidence of threat, there was no guarantee of loyalty or passivity of the no guarantee of loyalty or passivity of the Japanese Canadians to homeland JapanJapanese Canadians to homeland Japan

Canadians felt that Japanese-born Canadians felt that Japanese-born Canadians showed too much sympathy for Canadians showed too much sympathy for Japan and that there was a chance that Japan and that there was a chance that some of them might form a fifth column some of them might form a fifth column (espionage). (espionage).

““Japan was aggressively expanding in the Japan was aggressively expanding in the Pacific (islands of Attu and Kiska). Pacific (islands of Attu and Kiska). Moreover, American and Canadian Moreover, American and Canadian governments were more alarmed as a governments were more alarmed as a Japanese submarine had fired on telegraph Japanese submarine had fired on telegraph station and lighthouse in British station and lighthouse in British Columbia”.Columbia”.

The interment, deportation and relocation The interment, deportation and relocation of the Japanese Canadians was for their of the Japanese Canadians was for their own safety and was legal through War own safety and was legal through War Measure ActMeasure Act

NONO Japanese Canadians were judged Japanese Canadians were judged

solely on the basis of their racial solely on the basis of their racial ancestry, and not their citizenship.ancestry, and not their citizenship.

Internment based on racist and Internment based on racist and xenophobic public sentimentxenophobic public sentiment

RCMP and Canadian military RCMP and Canadian military evaluations suggest no imminent evaluations suggest no imminent threat to national security and the J-threat to national security and the J-C are law abiding citizensC are law abiding citizens

The Japanese Canadians were The Japanese Canadians were harshly mistreated, property was harshly mistreated, property was seized and sold and used to pay for seized and sold and used to pay for campscamps

Camps had terrible conditionsCamps had terrible conditions Food packages were sent from Japan Food packages were sent from Japan

through the Canadian Red Cross to through the Canadian Red Cross to those suffering in the campsthose suffering in the camps

Canadian government spend 1/3 the Canadian government spend 1/3 the per capita amount expended by the per capita amount expended by the US on Japanese American interneesUS on Japanese American internees

Outcomes of InternmentOutcomes of Internment After the war, the federal government After the war, the federal government

decided to remove all Japanese Canadians decided to remove all Japanese Canadians from British Colombia.from British Colombia.

The Japanese were forced to choose The Japanese were forced to choose between deportation to war ravaged Japan between deportation to war ravaged Japan or dispersal East of the Rocky mountains.or dispersal East of the Rocky mountains.

Public protest would eventually stop the Public protest would eventually stop the deportations, but not before 4000 deportations, but not before 4000 Japanese left the country.Japanese left the country.

Acknowledging Wartime Acknowledging Wartime WrongsWrongs

Forty-three years after the Forty-three years after the end of the war, Prime end of the war, Prime minister Brian Mulroney minister Brian Mulroney acknowledged the wrong acknowledged the wrong doings of the Canadian doings of the Canadian government and announced government and announced the awarding of $21,000 for the awarding of $21,000 for each individual directly each individual directly wronged.wronged.

Is this an acceptable redress Is this an acceptable redress to the issue?to the issue?

LinkLink http://www.japanesecanadianhistory.

net/other_resources.htm#tr