The Internment Camps Essay

camps were varied according to an individual’s age, gender, and life stage. For instance, the oldest incarcerees comprised of the Issei, these were the first generation of the Japanese immigrants. Although the majority of Issei lived in America for many years, they were denied the right of being American citizens. Also, the leaders of the American Japanese community before the war were perceived by the government as being disloyal and as such, most of them were arrested.

The internment camps had an adverse effect on the family which is the basic social unit of the Japanese American Society. It led to the collapse of the family and also changed the gender roles of male and female. Under the internment camps, the Issei men abandoned their traditional roles as the civic leaders and also the heads of the families. Moreover, these men lost their source of income as they could no longer get back to job. On the other hand, their women were compelled to abandon their household chores and seek for camp jobs to sustain their families. The absence of permanent homes coupled with congested conditions in the camps reduced the Issei authority over their families. Children lost close contact with their parents as they were forced to share meals with peers in mess halls instead of eating together with their families at home (Donna et al., 19), from article 1.

The Japanese American internment was a classic example of individual trauma. As defined by the Individual trauma theory, trauma is an incident or occurrence that shutter’s a person’s sense of self belonging, self-esteem and assumptive world. For instance, during this period, each Japanese American faced these

forms of psychological and physical torture. The incarceration that was characterized by massive ethnic targeting draws a link between historical injustices and cultural trauma (Donna et al., 357), from article 2.

During incarceration period, the Japanese American society experienced traumatic cultural upheaval that impacted their future identity. However, the effect on the cultural identity was more intense on the Nisei generation. The incarceration, which was motivated by racial discrimination greatly contributed to their sense of moral and social discrimination. Although the incarceration torture on identity reflected a cultural trauma, the Japanese Americans did not experience it as a group but it was more pronounced at individual trauma level (Donna et al., 360), from article 2.

The incarceration had adverse psychological effects on the Issei, who were taken to non-DOJ camps. Unlike the adults, the Nisei daughters and sons born in the United States. The majority of them were in their adolescence when they were incarcerated. Their developmental stages were adversely affected by the inhuman conditions in these camps. These adolescents could not access to quality education. Also, they did not get the opportunity of accessing to parental guidance to the disintegration of the families (Donna et al., 20), from article 1.

Another effect of the internment camps on the Japanese culture was race prejudice. There was a wide spread believe of the stereotype that the preservation of the white race was determined by protecting the purity of Caucasian young girls and women. As such, the internment, which separated all Japanese males from American society, was motivated by the notion of preserving the white race. In this regard, the internment decision led to the evolution of the Japanese American

stereo type. One of the common stereotypes was that the Japanese Americans were regarded as “un-American.” As such, they could not be fully incorporated into the American lifestyle and culture (Dundes et al 632).

Despite the numerous negative effects of incarceration of the Japanese Americans, these hostile conditions also had some positive impacts on the Japanese American society. The resistance and resilience of the Japanese during this time were important as they provided room for these people to reflect their ability and resourcefulness to turn the hostile condition work out in their favor. For instance, the Incarcerees utilized available resources around the camp such as timber in the construction of futures and other artworks. Also, the Nisei gained from work camp experience which helped that to develop since of self-esteem and independence. The women and young girls begun to attend classes that enabled them to get formal education.Today, many years after the reconstruction efforts, various Japanese American generations remain keen on prejudices and policies that unjustly aim other ethnic groups (Donna et al., 364), from article 2.

Works Cited

1. Donna K. Nagata, Ph.D., Steven J. Trierweiler, ph.D., Rewbecca Talbot, M.A.” Long Term Effects of Internment on Early Childhood on Third-Generation Japanese Americans”. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 69(1), 1999.
2. Donna K. Ngata, Jackie H.J.Kim, and Teresa U. Nguyen, “Processing Cultural Trauma: Intergeneraation Effects of the Japanese American Incarceration”. Journal Social Issuies, 2015 pp. 356-370
3. Dundes Renteln, Alison. "A psychohistorical analysis of the Japanese American internment." Human Rights Quarterly 17.4 (1995): 618-648.