Economic losses

The economic and emotional toll associated with the uprooting of Japanese Americans from their homes and businesses was enormous. The cost was especially high for the issei (first-generation immigrants), who had worked most of their lives to establish financial security for themselves and their children. Many Japanese Americans bitterly recall being forced to sell property, personal belongings, and business equipment for a fraction of their value to opportunistic scavengers. Evacuees could take only what they could carry. They left behind heirlooms, cherished toys, and family pets. Farmers continued to work for a harvest they would never see, told it would be "disloyal" to stop. The bustling Nihonmachis (Japantowns) of the West Coast closed down and never fully recovered, even after the war ended.

World War II (240)
Economic losses (563)

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563 items

img Father and son in front of store (ddr-densho-151-272)

Original caption: San Francisco, California. Dave Tatsuno and his father, merchants of Japanese ancestry in San Francisco prior to evacuation.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-272/

img Farewell letter posted in Chinatown restaurant (ddr-densho-151-117)

Original caption: San Francisco, California. Farewell letter posted in show window of T.Z. Shiota, importer in San Francisco's Chinatown, prior to evacuation of residents of Japanese ancestry. Evacuees will be housed at War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-117/

img Japanese American farmers prior to mass removal (ddr-densho-151-126)

Original caption: Near Mission San Jose, California. This family of Japanese ancestry have but a few more days to work in their stawberry field before evacuation to an assembly point from where they will later be transferred to a War Relocation Authority center to spend the duration.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-126/

img Japanese-owned farm recently sold (ddr-densho-151-121)

Original caption: Near Centerville, Alameda County, California. Japanese berry farm transferred to a Yugoslavian in United States since 1913.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-121/

img Japanese American selling possessions (ddr-densho-151-275)

Original caption: Centerville, California. Scene in the Japanese American Citizens League local office. This office is assisting the farmers of Japanese ancestry in this district to arrange their affairs for evacuation and to keep them posted on events. Harry Konda, officer of the league, is disposing of a washing machine to a local Mexican farm laborer's …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-275/

doc A Myopic Account of a Relocated Life during the Second World War (ddr-densho-468-97)

Personal recollections of life in an assembly center and relocation camp for Japanese descendants and various digressions

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-97/

doc Letter from Frank Nedbal to Tomoye Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-73)

Concerning management of Nozawa family laundry in San Francisco, and pending lawsuit. Frank Nedbal appears to have been overseeing the business while the Nozawa family was incarcerated.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-73/

doc Letter from Tomoye Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-428)

Updates on the pregnancy, her father's plans, camp rumors that the 442nd was planning to volunteer to fight the Japanese, possibility of accessing Henri's frozen bank account

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-428/

doc Letter from Office of Price Administration to Tomoye Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-574)

Notifying her of required rent decrease for property on Arguello Blvd as part of war-time rent controls in Rental Defense Areas

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-574/

doc Notification of rental reduction for property on Arguello Blvd. from Office of Price Administration (ddr-densho-410-581)

Sent to Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-581/

doc Letter from Tomoye Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-403)

Information about how to reclaim property, what needs to be done at the San Francisco house, and news of camp life. Note on back of envelope about viewing another house in San Francisco

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-403/

img Page printed with Yokohama Cleaners, with three photos of John Yoshino (ddr-ajah-6-277)

Caption includes biographical information about John Yoshino

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-277/

doc Letter from F.E. Reed to Chizu Takeda (ddr-densho-501-251)

F.E. Reed from Bank of America tells Chizu Takeda that dividend checks will be withheld from her until she proves she is an American citizen.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-501-251/