Farewell to Manzanar: A Haunting Memoir of Japanese American Internment

Introduction

"Farewell to Manzanar" is a powerful and poignant memoir by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston, first published in 1973. It chronicles the experiences of the Wakatsuki family, who were forcibly removed from their home and incarcerated in the Manzanar concentration camp during World War II.

Internment of Japanese Americans

In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States government deemed all Japanese American citizens to be a threat to national security. As a result, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which authorized the military to remove Japanese Americans from designated "military areas" and confine them in internment camps.

In February 1942, the Wakatsuki family was among the thousands of Japanese Americans who were ordered to leave their homes in Terminal Island, California. They were sent to the Manzanar War Relocation Center, located in the Owens Valley desert of California.

Life in Manzanar

At Manzanar, the Wakatsuskis endured harsh living conditions. They were housed in overcrowded barracks with inadequate sanitation and food. They were denied basic rights and freedoms, including the right to vote and the right to fair treatment.

Despite the hardships they faced, the Wakatsuskis maintained their dignity and resilience. They established schools, religious services, and community organizations in order to create a sense of normalcy for themselves and their children.

Post-War Life

In 1945, the war ended and the Wakatsukis were finally released from Manzanar. They returned to Terminal Island, but found that their homes had been looted and their community had been destroyed.

The Wakatsuskis struggled to rebuild their lives, but they were haunted by their experiences at Manzanar. They faced discrimination and prejudice from their fellow Americans, who saw them as outsiders.

Legacy of Manzanar

"Farewell to Manzanar" has become a classic work of American literature. It is a powerful reminder of the dark chapter in American history when racial prejudice and fear led to the unjust internment of thousands of innocent people.

The legacy of Manzanar is still relevant today. It is a reminder that discrimination and intolerance can have devastating consequences, and that we must always strive to protect the rights of all Americans, regardless of their race, religion, or ethnicity.

Tables

Table 1: Japanese American Internment Camps

Table 2: Impact of Internment on Japanese Americans

Table 3: Post-War Struggles of Japanese Americans

Table 4: Lessons from Manzanar