| 1952 |
− |
| 1961 |
− |
| 1962 |
− |
| 1963 |
− |
| 1964a |
− |
| 1964b |
− |
| 1964c |
− |
| 1964d |
− |
| 1964e |
− |
| 1965 |
− |
| 1966a |
− |
| 1966b |
− |
| 1966c |
− |
| 1966d |
− |
| 1966e |
− |
| 1967a |
− |
| 1967b |
− |
| 1967c |
− |
| 1968a |
− |
| 1968b |
− |
| 1968c |
− |
| 1969a |
− |
| 1969b |
− |
| 1969c |
− |
| 1969d |
− |
| 1970 |
− |
| 1971a |
− |
| 1971b |
− |
| 1972 |
− |
| 1973 |
− |
| 1974 |
− |
| 1975 |
− |
| 1976 |
− |
| 1978a |
− |
| 1978b |
− |
| 1980 |
− |
| 1981a |
− |
| 1981b |
− |
| 1982a |
− |
| 1982b |
− |
| 1982c |
− |
| 1982d |
− |
| 1982e |
− |
| 1983a |
− |
| 1983b |
− |
| 1983c |
− |
| 1983d |
− |
| 1984 |
− |
| 1985a |
− |
| 1985b |
− |
| 1985c |
(252) In 1980, Congress re-opened investigations
into the treatment of Japanese-Americans
during World War II and created the Commission
on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians.
After nearly three years of careful examination
of the evidence, which included testimony
from 750 witnesses, the Commission issued
a report on February 25, 1983. The report
concluded: "A grave injustice was done
to American citizens and resident aliens
of Japanese ancestry who, without individual
review or any probative evidence against
them, were excluded, removed, and detained
by the United States during World War II." |
| 1986a |
− |
| 1986b |
− |
| 1986c |
− |
| 1986d |
− |
| 1986e |
− |
| 1986f |
− |
| 1987a |
− |
| 1987b |
− |
| 1988 |
− |
| 1989a |
|
| 1989b |
− |
| 1990a |
(674-5) As the years passed and the emotions
of war faded, Americans began to recognize
the injustice that had been done. Finally,
in 1988, Congress voted overwhelmingly to
formally apologize to Japanese Americans
who were driven from their homes in World
War II and to give $20,000 to each surviving
internee. Although it was acknowledged that
nothing was adequate to right the enormous
wrong of the past, the action by Congress
helped Americans to close this unfortunate
chapter in their history. |
| 1990b |
|
| 1990c |
|
| 1990d |
(863) In 1988, Congress belatedly voted limited
compensation for the Japanese Americans relocated
during World War II. |
| 1990e |
(647) The Japanese American relocation is
still a disputed topic among Americans. In
the late 1980s, the U.S. Congress voted to
pay some reparations to Japanese Americans
for their lost properties. However, the controversy
still continues. Was this action a reasonable
war measure, or should it be considered a
gross violation of civil liberties? |
| 1991 |
(613) The Supreme Court upheld internment
throughout the war. Four decades later a
federal commission determined that the internment
"was not justified by military necessity."
In 1988 Congress apologized for the wartime
mistreatment and voted to pay $20,000 in
compensation to each person still living
who had been interned. Spark Matsunaga of
Hawaii, a Japanese American who was among
69 senators supporting the apology, rejoiced.
The action, he said, removed "one great
blot" on the Constitution. |
| 1992a |
− |
| 1992b |
|
| 1992c |
(290) and in 1988 Congress appropriated funds
to pay $20,000 to each of the sixty thousand
surviving internees. |
| 1992d |
|
| 1992e |
|
| 1992f |
|
| 1992g |
(674-5) The United States government kept
the Japanese Americans in the isolated camps
for most of the war. In 1944, the Supreme
Court upheld the forced relocation as a justifiable
wartime measure. Not until 1945, when Allied
victory seemed certain, were these people
allowed to return to their communities to
rebuild their shattered lives. Years later,
Americans began to recognize the injustice
that had been done to the Japanese Americans.
In 1988, Congress voted to apologize to Japanese
Americans who were driven from their homes
in World War II. They also gave $20,000 to
each surviving internee. It was acknowledged
at this time that nothing could reverse the
enormous wrong of the past. But the action
by Congress helped Americans to close this
unfortunate chapter in their history. |
| 1993a |
|
| 1993b |
− |
| 1994a |
(357) Nearly half a century later, on August
10, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed
legislation that apologized for the forced
relocation of Japanese-Americans during World
War II and established a $1.25 billion trust
fund to pay reparations to those who were
placed in camps and to their families. |
| 1994b |
(865) In 1988, Congress belatedly voted limited
compensation for the Japanese-Americans relocated
during World War II. |
| 1994c |
(498) Beginning in the 1970s, Japanese Americans
worked for Congress to review this injustice.
Finally, in the late 1980s, Congress apologized
to Japanese Americans for the government's
treatment. Congress approved cash payments
for the surviving victims and for Japanese
American communities. Now answer the following
questions. 1 Why did Americans limit immigration
in the late 1800s and early 1900s? Do you
think immigration should have limits? 2 Why
do you think it was important to Japanese
Americans to have Congress recognize the
injustice of their wartime internment? Do
you think their requests were reasonable? |
| 1994d |
|
| 1995a |
− |
| 1995b |
|
| 1995c |
− |
| 1996a |
|
| 1996b |
(527) In 1983, forty-one years after he had
been sent to a government camp, Fred Kurematsu
had the satisfaction of hearing a federal
judge rule that he -- and by implication
all detainees -- had been the victim of "unsubstantiated
facts, distortions and misrepresentations
of at least one military commander whose
views were affected by racism." A year
earlier, the government's special Commission
on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians
had recommended compensating the victims
of this policy. Finally, in 1988, Congress
voted to award $20,000 and a public apology
to each of the surviving sixty thousand Japanese-American
internees. |
| 1996c |
|
| 1996d |
− |
| 1996e |
|
| 1997a |
|
| 1997b |
(548) [Picture] Compensation for Internees.
On August 10, 1988, President Ronald Reagan
signed Public Law 100-383. Among other things,
this law makes apologies and restitution
to individuals of Japanese ancestry who were
interned during World War II. Each eligible
person received $20,000 in tax-free payments
over a 10-year period. Do you think that
this compensation was adequate? Why or why
not? |
| 1998a |
|
| 1998b |
− |
| 1998c |
(887) In 1988, Congress belatedly voted limited
compensation for the Japanese Americans relocated
during World War II. |
| 1999a |
− |
| 1999b |
|
| 1999c |
(836) Aware of rabidly anti-Japanese public
opinion, Roosevelt waited until after the
off-year 1943 elections to allow internees
who passed a loyalty review to go home. A
year later, the camps were empty, each internee
having been given train fare home and $25.
Returning home, the Japanese Americans discovered
that nearly everything they owned was gone.
Stored belongings had been stolen. Land,
homes, and businesses had been seized by
the government for unpaid taxes. Denied even
an apology from the government, Japanese
Americans began to re-establish their homes
and businesses. Decades later, in 1988, and
after several lawsuits on behalf of victims,
a semiapologetic federal government paid
$20,000 in compensation to each of the surviving
sixty thousand internees. |
