Preparation

On March 2, 1942, Public Proclamation No. 1 began to appear on telephone poles and buildings. This was the first official notice Japanese Americans had of their immediate removal from the West Coast. The notices stated that they had six or seven days to prepare, and were to take only what they could carry. They were not told where they would be taken. People rushed to sell or store, in one week, property and belongings acquired over a lifetime. Some families tucked their valuables away in their attic or basement and locked the door, hoping to return soon.

World War II (240)
Mass removal ("evacuation") (692)
Preparation (374)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Military Areas 1 and 2

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374 items
Robert Coombs Interview Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1000-146-11)
vh Robert Coombs Interview Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1000-146-11)
Teaching high school after the outbreak of war, feeling sadness when Japanese American students were taken out of school
Betty Morita Shibayama Interview Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-152-14)
vh Betty Morita Shibayama Interview Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-152-14)
Family reactions in the months following the bombing of Pearl Harbor; sister hastily getting married
Betty Morita Shibayama Interview Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-152-15)
vh Betty Morita Shibayama Interview Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-152-15)
Some positive memories of supportive Caucasian neighbors in the time leading up to mass removal
Betty Morita Shibayama Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-152-13)
vh Betty Morita Shibayama Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-152-13)
Reading of a flyer put out by the Hood River chief of police in the days following the bombing of Pearl Harbor
Rick Sato Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1000-80-7)
vh Rick Sato Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1000-80-7)
Preparing for mass removal: packing pots and pans, but no knives
Tom Akashi Interview Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-164-10)
vh Tom Akashi Interview Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-164-10)
Destroying Japanese possessions: "We don't want anything that would incriminate us as being Japanese"
Tom Akashi Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-164-9)
vh Tom Akashi Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-164-9)
Memories of the bombing of Pearl Harbor: after attending church, helping father burn possessions related to Japan
Mutsu Homma Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-24-20)
vh Mutsu Homma Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-24-20)
Loss of privacy and dignity, strangers invite themselves in
Mutsu Homma Segment 19 (ddr-densho-1000-24-19)
vh Mutsu Homma Segment 19 (ddr-densho-1000-24-19)
Preparing for mass removal: forced to sell belongings, a piano for $25
Marjorie Matsushita Sperling Interview Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-273-14)
vh Marjorie Matsushita Sperling Interview Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-273-14)
Hearing about other areas being removed

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Fumiko Uyeda Groves Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-10-16)
vh Fumiko Uyeda Groves Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-10-16)
Mother's role running family store after husband's arrest by FBI
Tokio Yamane Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-432-20)
vh Tokio Yamane Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-432-20)
Hearing about the bombing of Pearl Harbor; receiving special dispensation to participate in a track meet before going to camp (Japanese language)

This interview was conducted in Japanese. The transcript is a translation of the original interview. This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. …

Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-148-20)
vh Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-148-20)
Preparing for mass removal: sadness at selling belongings such as a piano, feeling a slight thrill when buying new suitcases
Kazue Yamamoto Interview Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-197-8)
vh Kazue Yamamoto Interview Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-197-8)
Preparing for mass removal: selling belongings

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Bruce T. Kaji Interview I Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-289-10)
vh Bruce T. Kaji Interview I Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-289-10)
Preparing for mass removal: burning possessions

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

May Y. Namba Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-171-13)
vh May Y. Namba Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-171-13)
Volunteering with the JACL to help people prepare for mass removal
Akiko Kurose Interview I Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-41-15)
vh Akiko Kurose Interview I Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-41-15)
Deciding what to take during mass removal: filling a dime-store suitcase
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