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Living conditions

The "assembly centers" were hastily erected quarters located throughout the West Coast at fairgrounds, racetracks and other similar facilities. Conditions at these locations were appalling. People were housed in animal stalls and barracks with communal bathrooms and mess halls. Privacy was next to nonexistent. Most families lived in a 20-by-20-foot room separated from the next "apartment" by wood partitions that did not reach the ceiling. Shortages of food and deplorable sanitation were common. Overcrowding, uncertainty, and stress created tension in the "assembly centers," even as the demoralized camp inmates tried to improve living conditions.

World War II (54)
Temporary Assembly Centers (88)
Living conditions (280)

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List view

280 items

vh Hideo Hoshide Interview I Segment 43 (ddr-densho-1000-184-43)

Dealing with difficult living conditions in Pinedale: no privacy, incredible heat, shared facilities

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-184-43/

vh Louise Kashino Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-31-12)

Leaving Seattle: packing extra food just in case; first impressions of the Puyallup Assembly Center

For the first hour of this interview, an additional camera crew from KCTS Television was also present.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-31-12/

vh Akio Hoshino Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-26-8)

Memories of Puyallup Assembly Center: friendly guards, ice skating, and arguing over steel cots

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-26-8/

vh Hideo Hoshide Interview I Segment 42 (ddr-densho-1000-184-42)

Writing for camp paper, the Pinedale Logger

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-184-42/

vh Hideo Hoshide Interview I Segment 41 (ddr-densho-1000-184-41)

Impressions of Pinedale Assembly Center; working for the newspaper, the Pinedale Logger

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-184-41/

vh Yukiko Miyake Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-49-26)

Challenging the guards at Puyallup Assembly Center: "What are you going to do? Kill us?"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-49-26/

vh Art Abe Interview Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-206-17)

Feeling bitter upon being removed: "I couldn't believe what the government was doing to us"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-206-17/

vh Louise Kashino Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-31-16)

Working as a "tray girl" in Puyallup Assembly Center

For the first hour of this interview, an additional camera crew from KCTS Television was also present.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-31-16/

vh Nobu Suzuki Interview I Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-84-26)

Attitude toward violation of rights, "There was nothing we could do about it because they had the guns"

References are made to several of Nobu Suzuki's personal papers, which are currently available for public perusal at the University of Washington's Manuscripts and University Archives.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-84-26/

vh Sharon Tanagi Aburano Interview II Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1000-209-4)

Seeing mother's emotional reaction to conditions in camp

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-209-4/

vh Frank Miyamoto Interview III Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-52-12)

Comparing conditions in Wartime Civil Control Administration assembly centers to War Relocation Authority concentration camps

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-52-12/

vh Amy Iwasaki Mass Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-470-5)

Living conditions at the Pomona Assembly Center

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-470-5/

vh Francis Mas Fukuhara Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1000-9-11)

Description of Puyallup Assembly Center: "really kind of horrifying"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-9-11/

vh Fumiko Uyeda Groves Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-10-18)

Frightened by the sight of soldiers with rifles at the Puyallup Assembly Center

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-10-18/

vh Bob Y. Sakata Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-216-9)

Temporary living conditions in Tanforan: "it was sort of a lonely feeling"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-216-9/

vh Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto Interview Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1000-148-23)

Dealing with the difficulties of living in the Puyallup Assembly Center, new responsibilities as the oldest child at age fourteen

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-148-23/

vh Kazue Yamamoto Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-197-9)

Memories of Portland Assembly Center

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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-197-9/