Comments about ‘In our opinion: Remembering Topaz’

I think it's right to preserve tangible historical sites such as Topaz, but we tend to view such places only with modern-day eyes. At the time, virtually all politicians - and newspapers - viewed such internment camps as necessary for national security. Even the Japanese government at the time believed that ethnic Japanese-Amercians would rise up and help the Japanese army when and if it invaded Hawaii, which was one important aspect of their overall plan of conquest when the war began.

And people today forget that many ethnic Germans and Italians were also taken to similar camps in Texas and New Mexico for the war's duration. So it was not strictly a racist policy on the government's part.

In the end, we shouldn't forget that not only Franklin Roosevelt, who initiated the policy, but also the U. S. Supreme Court, in its Korematsu decision, backed the policy as necessary for national security.

It's a lesson in how perceptions change and evolve in a free country such as ours. It's also a lesson on how not to condemn past government decisions without first trying to understand them in their historical context.

Very smug, retrospective wisdom. In real time, Japan had invaded the Aleutian Islands (US soil), Japanese subs were sighted off the coast of California, the California coastal cities were camoflaged for war, Japan was depending on a uprising by Japanese-Americans, the memory of Pearl Harbor, Bataan death march and other Japanese atrocities were in American minds and we were fighting a war in Europe. Yes, suspending the writ of habeas corpus was wrong for FDR just as it was for Lincoln during the Civil War, but modern historians are incomplete and naive if they do not recognize the desperate situation present in the early 1940s. Tell the entire story.

The fruits of racism and hate from 60 years ago...

I wonder what those living in 60 years will see when they look back at today?

its is not about being smug it is being able to look back through the window of time and understand how even good and well intentioned ideas can lead to horrible results. they point is not to condemn the people from the past but rather understand what happened so as to try to prevent making the same mistake. Think about what happened after 9/11, Because enough people are still aware of our past we where able to recognize the errors of such a decision and the horrible impact it would have.

Owl... exactly how many German American interment camps were there? How about Italian? If the risk was as you say it was, Germany was an equal risk to us, had submarines off the coast of the Carolinas and was actively sinking merchant ships within eye sight of the coast here. The atrocities you speak of were not any more know than those being committed by Nazi Germany, And yet, not the same reaction. In fact many Germany POWs in Idaho were treated far better than Japanese Americans.

The thing is, we made a mistake, literally in the heat of battle. As humans, making errors is part of life. We all do it. And our country and our society has done it. Post Civil War, for almost 100 years, huge societal errors were made. But there is this culture of American Infallibility, and reminders like this don't match that national narrative - hence some of the comments you see.

It is not wrong for the US to apologize when it does make mistakes, and we have made mistakes. Lets not try to couch these with a bunch of rationalizations. Mistakes were made, lets own them and learn from them.

I was in high school during WWII. It is easy now to say they should have never done it. At the time I think the conventional wisdom it was ok. It was supported by the people. I have good Japanese friends who drove from California in their cars and one broke down. They pushed it off the road and piled into the remaining vehicle or two and went on. I did not see they had any bitterness. They were classmates in medical school. Our class was 1956.

This is something Congress officially apologized for (in the 80's, I think), and even made a cash reward to camp survivors. If I had observed my neighbors turn their backs, I think I would be very unlikely to see "any bitterness". That doesn't mean there wasn't any.

There was strong suspicion at Pearl harbor about some Japanese Americans. The Japanese knew which ships were in the harbor, and where each was docked. Also during the attack a small group of Japanese Americans freed a downed Japanese pilot and tried to help him escape. Only 62% interned were American citizens. The rest were Japanese citizens living here.

The few living on the East coast and in the middle of the country were not affected. Pretty good proof that it was a military move to protect fleet movement.

Can anyone say without question, that there would of been no spying, or helping the enemy if we had been attacked on land? America did not have the time to interrogate all the people.

The reasons for the actions were there. Whether you believe they were justified is up to you. None of the combatants had great human rights records during WW2

SLars is, I believe, missing the point. It's when there are PLENTY of excuses to throw out the Constitution that we are tested, not when everyone agrees. Speech we hate, actions we wouldn't associate ourselves with willingly, behavior we condemn may ALL be protected by the Constitution. No, spying wasn't protected, but the preemptive punishment meted out to Japanese Americans and even Japanese citizens stands out today as FDR's worst decision.

Mark B

I never missed the point. You have your opinion, I have mine.

So let me understand this. japanese were a danger, and some spied. Germans.... no problem. no spying. No direct attacks.

More American sailors lost their lives off the east coast than pearl harbor... but Germans were not a problem.

You have your opinion. I have mine..... seems about right.

Germany was fighting a war on land and air with their enemies. Their navy consisted of mostly subs. Their might was built around land and air attacks. The chance of them invading the US and letting Britain and Russia over run their home country was slim. The ships that were sank off our east coast by German U-boats were merchant ships from many nations.

The same thing was happening on our west coast with Japanese subs. The threat of invasion from Japan who's military was built around their navy was much greater. After China and Korea they island hopped towards the US with no threat like Britain or Russia just over the border.

Some of us understand why it happened. During a time of war, with major conflicts in two areas, we don't have time to sit and think about things in great depth.

I might add, I find the use of comfort women by Japan much worse than what the US did.