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 (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Living conditions (1751)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Arts and crafts in camp, Community analysts, Manzanar Children's Village

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1751 items
Collecting coal (ddr-hmwf-1-47)
img Collecting coal (ddr-hmwf-1-47)
"Coal- 29-27, Jan 11, 1944 morning" as described on back, Super xx Super Ikonta B, DK20-45', D76 70'
Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-291)
img Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-291)
"Isao Nakaishi 29-24-D, Aug 31 1944" as described on back, f8 1/50 Verichrome G3
Woman and baby (ddr-hmwf-1-309)
img Woman and baby (ddr-hmwf-1-309)
"Woman holding baby while sitting on bed in barracks room"
Collecting coal (ddr-hmwf-1-76)
img Collecting coal (ddr-hmwf-1-76)
"Men and women collecting coal between barracks" Jan 11, 1944
Men Sitting (ddr-hmwf-1-514)
img Men Sitting (ddr-hmwf-1-514)
"Nov 27-1943, l4 f5.6 1/2 PlusX DK20 35min, D76 10min, En 1 #4 30" as described on back, 2 men resting on sofa in barracks room
Collecting coal (ddr-hmwf-1-41)
img Collecting coal (ddr-hmwf-1-41)
"Men and women collecting coal between barracks"
Camp Barracks (ddr-hmwf-1-204)
img Camp Barracks (ddr-hmwf-1-204)
"Looking south from Block 29 office May 3 1944" as described on back, l20 f19 1/25 G3, SuperXX DK20 36' D76 10
Women Posing (ddr-hmwf-1-556)
img Women Posing (ddr-hmwf-1-556)
2 women posing together outside barracks building
Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-268)
img Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-268)
"Dianne Oki (Birthday 10/30/1943) 24-21-F, Dec. 12 1943" as described on back, l5 f5.6 1/5 SuperXX DK20-40' D76-15'
Portrait (ddr-hmwf-1-613)
img Portrait (ddr-hmwf-1-613)
"Sue, July 29-1944, l8 f8 1/10, SuperpanPress D76-42', SuperIkontaB C-2-8, 1-2-45-50" as described on back
Woman and Child (ddr-hmwf-1-555)
img Woman and Child (ddr-hmwf-1-555)
"Gloria-Dianne Oki, 24-21-F, Dec 12 1943, SuperIkontaB, Verichrome snap D76-40' " as described on back, woman and child sitting together in barracks
Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-287)
img Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-287)
"Aug 25 1944" f4.5 1/25 Superpan Press G3
Christmas Party (ddr-hmwf-1-472)
img Christmas Party (ddr-hmwf-1-472)
"Christmas Party 29-30 Mess Hall, Dec 25-1943" as described on back, Santa Claus handing out gifts
Ice Skating (ddr-hmwf-1-481)
img Ice Skating (ddr-hmwf-1-481)
Men, women, and children ice skating with barracks in background
Snow scene (ddr-hmwf-1-203)
img Snow scene (ddr-hmwf-1-203)
"Snow scene, 29-5,6 Feb 4 1944 5:30 pm" as described on back, l17 12.7 1/25 G3, SuperXX DK20-50 D76-25
Woman Posing (ddr-hmwf-1-424)
img Woman Posing (ddr-hmwf-1-424)
"Emi Tsubai, 24-4-E, July 9-1944, l20 f19 1/50 G3, SuperpanPress D76-46', Kodabromide G3" as described on back
Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-307)
img Baby (ddr-hmwf-1-307)
"June 2 1944" l8 f4.5 1/25, SuperpanPress D76-37
Christmas Exercise (ddr-hmwf-1-474)
img Christmas Exercise (ddr-hmwf-1-474)
"Christmas Exercise 22-25 Rec Hall, Dec 22-1943" as described on back, children performing
Portrait (ddr-hmwf-1-628)
img Portrait (ddr-hmwf-1-628)
Man sitting on steps holding Japanese Red Cross Society package
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