Living conditions

All of the camps were constructed according to the War Department's specifications, which included barbed-wire fences, guard towers, and armed guards around the perimeter. The camps were organized in "blocks" consisting of twelve to fourteen barracks, a mess hall, communal showers and toilets, laundry facilities, and a recreation hall. Each barracks was divided into four or six rooms with each room housing one family, no matter how large, and there was no running water. The furnishings that Japanese Americans found on their arrival were canvas cots, a potbellied stove, and a single bare light bulb. The thin walls offered little protection from the harsh weather, which ranged from 110 degrees in the summer to 25 degrees below zero on winter nights. The flimsy construction allowed no privacy and made normal family life difficult. Camp inmates improved their own living conditions by creating interior walls and partitions, constructing furniture from scrap lumber, and planting gardens.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Living conditions (1751)

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1751 items

av An oral history with Alpharetta Matthews (ddr-csujad-29-48)

An oral interview with Alpharetta Matthews, a child civilian at the Tule Lake incarceration camp. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0152. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2656_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-48/

av An oral history with Mary Miya (ddr-csujad-30-6)

An oral history with Mary Miya, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0116. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2489_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-6/

vh An oral history with Celeste Teodor (ddr-csujad-30-19)

An oral interview with Celeste Teodor, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0138. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 3776_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-19/

av An oral history with Sam Masami Tanaka (ddr-csujad-30-10)

An oral interview with Sam Masami Tanaka, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0124. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2333.2_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-10/

av An oral history with Mitsuru Yamasaki (ddr-csujad-30-16)

An oral interview with Mitsuru Yamasaki, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0136. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 3592_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-16/

av An oral history with Takeshi Isozaki (ddr-csujad-30-3)

An oral interview with Takeshi Isozaki, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript to this file is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0108. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2337_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-3/

av An oral history with Sam Masami Tanaka (ddr-csujad-30-9)

An oral interview with Sam Masami Tanaka, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0122. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2333.1_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-9/

av An oral history with Clara D. Hayashi (ddr-csujad-30-2)

An oral interview with Clara D. Hayashi, an incarceree at the Children's Village. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manzanar Oral History Project by California, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0104. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2334_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-2/

av An oral history with Lillian Matsumoto and Taeko Nagayama (ddr-csujad-30-14)

An oral interview with Lillian Matsumoto and Taeko Nagayama, incarcerees at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0132. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2494.2_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-14/

av An oral history with Robert Yamashita (ddr-csujad-30-15)

An oral interview with Robert Yamashita, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0134. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 3502_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-15/

av An oral history with Lillian Matsumoto and Taeko Nagayama (ddr-csujad-30-13)

An oral interview with Lillian Matsumoto and Taeko Nagayama, incarcerees at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0130. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2494.1_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-13/

av An oral history with Susie Watamura (ddr-csujad-30-4)

An oral interview with Susie Sakamoto, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0112. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2487_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-4/

vh An oral history with Annie Sakamoto (ddr-csujad-30-18)

An oral history with Annie Sakamoto, an incarceree at the Children's Villag orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0110. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2486_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-18/

av An oral history with Takatow Matsuno (ddr-csujad-30-12)

An oral interview with Takatow [Takato] Matsuno, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0128. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2339_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-12/

av An oral history with Ronald Kawamoto (ddr-csujad-30-7)

An oral interview with Ronald Kawamoto, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item:csufccop_cvm_0118. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 3591_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-7/

av An oral history with Tamotsu Isozaki (ddr-csujad-30-1)

An oral history with Tamotsu Isozaki, an incarceree at the Children's Village. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The full transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0102. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2332_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-1/

vh An oral history with Dennis Tojo Bambauer (ddr-csujad-30-17)

An oral interview with Dennis Tojo Bambauer, an incarceree at the Children's Village. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item csufccop_cvm_0106. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2335_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-17/

av An oral history with Wilma Stuart (ddr-csujad-30-5)

An oral history with Wilma Stuart, a foster mother to Japanese children following their time at the Children's Village orphange. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at Manazanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0114. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-5/

av An oral history with Ira Iwata (ddr-csujad-30-8)

An oral interview with Ira Iwata, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0120. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 3775_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-8/

av An oral history with Herbert Takashi Suyumatsu (ddr-csujad-30-11)

An oral interview with Herbert Takashi Suyematsu, an incarceree at the Children's Village orphanage. The interview was conducted for the Children's Village at the Manzanar Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_cvm_0126. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2336_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-30-11/

av Chizu Kawakami oral history interview (ddr-csujad-31-18)

Oral history of Chizu Kawakami, a resident of San Fernando Valley, was recorded as part of Asian American Studies 390 course work at California State University, Northridge. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JSFVOH_01-07

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-31-18/

av Katsuye Watanabe oral history interview (ddr-csujad-31-20)

Oral history of Katsuye Watanabe, a resident of San Fernando Valley, was recorded as part of Asian American Studies 390 course work at California State University, Northridge. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JSFVOH_01-23

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-31-20/

av Oral history with Elaine S. Okimoto (ddr-csujad-29-72)

An oral interview with Elaine S. Okimoto, internee at the Crystal City Internment Camp. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0180. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1080_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-72/

av An oral history with Kin'ichi Kimbo Yoshitomi (ddr-csujad-29-28)

An oral interview with Kinichi Kimbo Yoshitomi, an incarceree at the Tanforan Assembly Center and the the Topaz incarceration camp. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcription is found in the item: csufccop_jaoh_0108. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-28/

vh An Oral History with Norman Y. Mineta (ddr-csujad-29-55)

Japanese American congressman, representing the Thirteenth Congressional District of California, born and raised in San Jose, California, discusses his early life, graduation from the University of California, Berkeley, and receiving a commission and serving in the armed forces from 1953-1956. Recalls the removal, "relocation," and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II at the Heart …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-55/