Concentration camps

The War Relocation Authority (WRA) oversaw construction of ten concentration camps in sparsely populated and isolated areas. Between June and October 1942, Japanese Americans were transferred from the "assembly centers" to the larger camps. Housing approximately 120,000 people, the camps were designed to be self-contained communities, complete with hospitals, post offices, schools, warehouses, and residential areas. The WRA attempted to establish normalcy by setting up newspapers, a degree of self-government, sports leagues, and social events. But confinement, monotony, and harsh conditions exacerbated tensions between pro- and anti-camp administration residents and between the disempowered Issei and their U.S.-born Nisei children. At several centers, conflicts erupted into violence and at the Manzanar concentration camp the unrest resulted in fatal shootings. The WRA gradually granted work and school leave to those they considered "loyal." The last camp closed in March 1946.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)

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1434 items

img Sho, David, and Walter Matsuoka stand outside (ddr-densho-390-63)

Sho, David, and Walter Matsuoka stand outside, probably at the Amache concentration camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-390-63/

doc Amache camp map (ddr-densho-390-142)

A map of the Amache concentration camp created for the 1978 Amache reunion.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-390-142/

doc Sketch of Margaret Iyeki writing a letter in Topaz (ddr-densho-392-60)

Caption on front: "Margaret letter writing."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-392-60/

doc Letter from Tokio to Lili (ddr-densho-394-10)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-394-10/

img Women pose in front of sunflowers (ddr-densho-397-67)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-397-67/

img Women pose in front of sunflowers (ddr-densho-397-66)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-397-66/

img Nisei women (ddr-densho-325-140)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-140/

img Family picture in camp (ddr-densho-321-55)

Caption: "Nishiyori."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-321-55/

img Group photo at Heart Mountain concentration camp (ddr-densho-321-80)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-321-80/

img Group photo of young women in camp (ddr-densho-321-37)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-321-37/

img Group photo at Heart Mountain concentration camp (ddr-densho-321-79)

Captioned: "Ht. Mtn. 1944."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-321-79/

img Eiko with Ken in camp (ddr-densho-349-31)

On back: "1943 \ Tule Lake"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-349-31/

img Manzanar internee rock garden (ddr-densho-345-84)

A series of photographs taken by Harry Gamble and his team at Manzanar and Tule Lake concentration camps as part of their research. This research was then used to lobby for Tule Lake and not Manzanar be the camp to be designated a National Historic Landmark.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-345-84/

img Painting (ddr-densho-371-1)

A painting by Dick Sata of a concentration camp, most likely the Gila River camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-371-1/

img Gila River camp (ddr-densho-371-2)

A photo of the Gila River concentration camp in Arizona. Caption on back: "Concentration camp, Gila, Arizona, 1942"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-371-2/

doc American Concentration Camps VOLUME 6 June, 1942- December, 1942 (ddr-densho-372-6)

Volume 6 divides into six sections. Description about this volume reads directly from the book as follows: Section 1 presents archival documents from June 1942 that show the first major modifications of relocation policies and depict the resistance by Western Defense Command to any amelioration of the condition of the Japanese Americans. Section 2 contains selected …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-372-6/

doc American Concentration Camps VOLUME 5 May, 1942 (ddr-densho-372-5)

Volume 5 divides into two sections. Description about this volume reads directly from the book as follows: The first half of volume 5 includes archival documents from May 1942 which show the Army making California and the other West Coast areas "free" of Japanese, as first the Assembly Centers and then the Relocation Centers began to …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-372-5/

doc American Concentration Camps VOLUME 3 February 20, 1942- March 31, 1942 (ddr-densho-372-3)

Volume 3 divides into 4 sections. Description about this volume reads directly from the book as follows: Section 1 contains archival documents from February 20, 1942 to March 19, 1942 regarding the basic decision of how to remove more than 100,000 human beings which was delegated to General De Witt and his staff. Section 2 contains …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-372-3/