Manzanar War Relocation Center

Manzanar War Relocation Center was a United States War Relocation Authority internment camp located in Inyo County, California, near the town of Independence, California. The camp was established in 1942, during World War II, and was one of ten such camps built to detain Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals under the authority of Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The camp was also influenced by the Lend-Lease Act and the Atlantic Charter. The Western Defense Command and Fourth Army (United States) played a significant role in the establishment and operation of the camp.

● History

The history of the camp is closely tied to the events leading up to and during World War II, including the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway. The United States Army and Federal Bureau of Investigation were involved in the relocation and internment of Japanese Americans, with notable figures such as J. Edgar Hoover and General John L. DeWitt playing key roles. The War Relocation Authority was established by Executive Order 9102, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was led by Milton S. Eisenhower and later Dillon S. Myer. The camp was also influenced by the Japanese American internment policies of California Governor Earl Warren and the California State Legislature.

● Geography and Climate

The camp was located in the Owens Valley of California, near the town of Independence, California, and was situated near the Eastern Sierra region. The geography and climate of the area were characterized by Great Basin Desert conditions, with extreme temperatures and limited vegetation, similar to the Mojave Desert and Death Valley National Park. The camp was also near the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the John Muir Wilderness. The Los Angeles Aqueduct and Owens River were nearby, and the camp was accessible via U.S. Route 395 and the Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

● Life

in the Camp Life in the camp was marked by harsh conditions, with internees living in barracks and facing challenges such as dust storms and limited access to health care and education. The camp was administered by the War Relocation Authority and was guarded by the United States Army Military Police Corps. Internees were allowed to participate in activities such as gardening and sports, and the camp had a newspaper and a library. Notable organizations, such as the American Red Cross and the Quakers, provided support and services to the internees. The camp was also visited by notable figures, including Ansel Adams and Dorothea Lange.

● Notable Internees

The camp held many notable internees, including Ralph Lazo, a Mexican American who voluntarily joined his Japanese American friends in the camp, and Toyo Miyatake, a Japanese American photographer who documented life in the camp. Other notable internees included Sue Kunitomi Embrey, a Japanese American activist and Nisei, and Harry Ueno, a Japanese American leader and Issei. The camp also held internees who were involved in the Japanese American Citizens League and the Congress of Industrial Organizations.

● Closure and Legacy

The camp was closed in 1945, after the end of World War II, and the internees were released. The legacy of the camp is complex and multifaceted, with many internees experiencing trauma and discrimination as a result of their internment. The camp's history is also closely tied to the Japanese American redress movement and the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, which was established by the United States Congress to investigate the internment of Japanese Americans. Notable figures, such as Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui, played key roles in the redress movement and the establishment of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.

● Preservation and Commemoration

The site of the camp is now a National Historic Site, administered by the National Park Service, and features a museum and a memorial. The camp is also commemorated by the Manzanar National Historic Site Advisory Commission and the Japanese American National Museum. The site has been visited by notable figures, including President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, and has been the subject of numerous documentaries and films, including Rabbit in the Moon and The Manzanar Fishing Club. The camp's history is also preserved through the work of organizations such as the Japanese American Archival Collection and the Densho Encyclopedia. Category:Japanese American internment