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 (277)
Concentration camps (1771)
Living conditions (1870)

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1870 items

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/

vh An Oral History with Sumiye Takeno, Part I (ddr-csujad-29-59)

An oral history with Sumiye Takeno, a current resident of Denver, Colorado. This interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The purpose of this interview was to gather information regarding Takeno's incarceration and resettlement experience during World War II. Specifically, the interview covers her childhood in Florin, California, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-59/

av An oral history with Kin'ichi Kimbo Yoshitomi (ddr-csujad-29-30)

An oral interview with Kinichi Kimbo Yoshitomi, an incarceree at the Tanforan Assembly Center and 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_0112. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1645.3_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-30/

av Oral history with Elso Kanawaga (ddr-csujad-29-82)

An oral interview with Elso Kanawaga, incarceree at the Rohwer 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_0200. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2379_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-82/

av Oral history with Michael Ishikawa (ddr-csujad-29-376)

An oral interview with Michael Ishikawa, child born at the Granada 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_0932. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1324_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-376/

av Oral history with Henry Yoshitake (ddr-csujad-29-77)

An oral interview with Henry Yoshitake, incarceree at the Rohwer 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_0190. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2373.2_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-77/

img [Photograph of Amy Unio Ishii and son] (ddr-csujad-29-231)

Interviewee, Amy Uno Ishii, preparing a meal for her son, Hitoshi Jr., who was born at the Poston camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P174

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-231/

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

An oral interview with Kinichi Kimbo Yoshitomi, an incarceree at the Tanforan Assembly Center and 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_0110. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1645.2_T01

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

av Oral history with Susie O. Shimada (ddr-csujad-29-367)

An oral interview with Susie O. Shimada, incarceree at the Poston camp. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0914. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2258_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-367/

av An oral history with Fred Tomiyoshi (ddr-csujad-29-51)

An oral interview with Fred Tomiyoshi, incarceree at the Pinedale Assembly Center and 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_0158. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2986_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-51/

av Oral history with Shonin Yamashita (ddr-csujad-29-385)

An oral interview with Shonin Yamashita, an Issei and incarceree at the Poston War Relocation Center. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0950. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1519_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-385/