Deporation, Relocation and Repatriation

As far as deporting the Japanese-Americans go, some people wanted to deport only the "disloyal" ones and some wanted to deport every single one. There was also the issue of relocating the ones that weren't being deported, and repatriating the ones that wanted to return voluntarily to Japan.

Oelwein Daily Register, April 16, 1943

According to the article it was DeWitt's comment about "A Jap's a Jap" that kept a plan from being put into effect to return the internees to the West Coast (although he wasn't the only one that didn't want them there, though.)

The Troy Record, Sept. 30, 1943

This article shows that there was division even within the Japanese community, where some members of a family wanted to return to Japan and others didn't. In this case the "disloyal" ones that were going to Tule were initially going there because of their "no-no" answers on the loyalty questionnaire.

The Zanesville Signal, Jan. 29, 1944

On the other hand, there were some people that supported the idea of getting rid of every single person of Japanese ancestry in the country, such as this American Legion commander.

The Oakland Tribune, March 3, 1944

Then there were groups that would be satisfied just banning the people of Japanese ancestry from ever setting foot in Califorina, "for all time."

Nevada State Journal, June 22, 1943.

This person warned that, if the internees were allowed to return to California, there could be a "second Pearl Harbor." This same person later ended up as head of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Oakland Tribune, Oct. 1, 1944

Getting rid of the Japanese you have isn't enough for some people. This person wanted to make sure no more would be allowed to immigrate, even after the war was over.

---

Main Index
Japan main page
Japanese-American Internment Camps index page
Japan and World War II index page