7.3 Impact on families, education, and livelihoods
2 min read•july 25, 2024
Internment camps tore Japanese American families apart, eroding parental authority and sparking . Education in camps was makeshift, with inadequate facilities and a teacher shortage. These disruptions had long-lasting effects on family dynamics and academic progress.
The economic impact of internment was devastating, with forced property sales and . Post-war, Japanese Americans faced housing and . efforts re-established and pushed for , balancing with preserving heritage.
Family and Social Disruption
Disruption of Japanese American families
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Public Domain: WWII: Poston, Arizona Relocation Camp for Japanese-Americans by Francis Stewart ... View original
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Top images from around the web for Disruption of Japanese American families
Russell Lee: Japanese-American family waiting for relocati… | Flickr View original
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Public Domain: WWII: Poston, Arizona Relocation Camp for Japanese-Americans by Francis Stewart ... View original
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Russell Lee: Japanese-American family waiting for relocati… | Flickr View original
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Public Domain: WWII: Poston, Arizona Relocation Camp for Japanese-Americans by Francis Stewart ... View original
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Forced relocation tore families apart sent members to different camps disrupted traditional structure
Parental authority eroded as children gained independence in camp life reversed dynamics due to language barriers
Intergenerational conflicts arose from differing acculturation rates between Issei and Nisei clashed traditional Japanese values with
Long-term included and stress from incarceration impacted identity formation and self-esteem
Post-war family reunification challenged by difficulty re-establishing bonds adjusting to changed dynamics
Education in internment camps
Inadequate facilities used makeshift classrooms in barracks lacked proper teaching materials (textbooks, desks)
Teacher shortage led to reliance on internees as instructors challenged recruitment of external educators
Curriculum adapted integrated American and Japanese elements focused on and
included sports and cultural clubs (baseball, taiko drumming) student-led newspapers served as coping mechanisms
Higher education access restricted outside camps worked to place students in colleges
Long-term impacts disrupted academic progress for many students created challenges reintegrating into mainstream schools post-war
Economic and Post-War Challenges
Economic impact of internment
Forced property sales led to loss of homes businesses and farmland (strawberry farms, fishing boats) exploited by opportunistic buyers
Asset freezes restricted access to bank accounts and savings hindered financial management from camps
Livelihoods and professional status lost disrupted careers and businesses devalued skills and expertise
Economic exploitation within camps imposed limited opportunities in isolated locations
Post-internment financial struggles included:
Challenges reclaiming lost property
Difficulty securing loans or credit for rebuilding
Starting over with limited resources
Post-war rebuilding challenges
in markets led to formation of new Japanese American enclaves (, )
Employment discrimination hindered finding jobs matching pre-war skills relied on ethnic networks for work
Community rebuilding efforts re-established cultural and religious institutions (, ) created support networks
Legal battles challenged discriminatory laws pushed for redress and reparations ()
Intergenerational trauma impacted subsequent generations developed community-based
balanced assimilation with maintaining heritage emerged Japanese American cultural festivals and events (, )