Pictorial Travel Diary - Day 2 - A Forced Removal

Pictorial Travel Diary - Day 2 - A Forced Removal
Originally uploaded by Nana S

“A FORCED REMOVAL

‘The very fact that no sabotage
has taken place to date is a
disturbing and confirming
indication that such action
will be taken.’
Lt. General John L/ DeWitt, formal memorandum to the Secretary of War, 1942

In the last days of March 1942, the Japanese Americans
living on Bainbridge Island, Washington, became the first
community to face removal under the exclusion orders.
Ichiro Nagatani described his community’s dilemma:
‘We are just as good Americans as the next guy, only we
haven’t had a chance to prove it.’ A U.S. Army officer in
charge of the ouster called it ‘one of the toughest things
this outfit has ever been told to do.’

As the Army issued similar orders up and down the
West Coast, all people of Japanese ancestry attempted
to prepare for an uncertain future. May sold property
at steep losses, gave away pets, and burned or buried
photographs, letters, and heirlooms from Japan. Most had
less than two weeks to ‘pack only what they can carry.’
On April 1, 1942, 227 Bainbridge Islanders arrived at
Manzanar under military escort. Kazuko Sakai soon wrote
Home: ‘this place is so hot at day and cold at night;
so different from dear old Bainbridge.’”