<Begin Segment 7>

AI: Well, then I was wondering, we, in an earlier conversation we were talking about the year 1940, and just that year, in June, you turned ten. But just before that I, I understand from reading, that there was a large anti-Japanese riot in May of 1940. But, were you aware of that?

AS: At that time, no. I was, I didn't know. I wasn't aware of that, because nothing happened in our neighborhood. And so I know, we found out after, afterwards, reading the newspaper that the, some of the houses and some of the businesses were looted. But nothing happened to our neighborhood.

AI: Right, because apparently, hundreds of Japanese-owned businesses and homes were vandalized and people were attacked.

AS: Right.

AI: But, and how about your father's business?

AS: No, it didn't affect him.

AI: Or your grand --

AS: Because...

AI: Grandparents' business?

AS: No. Because we weren't, we weren't near the, where all the stores were.

AI: And as a child then, it didn't really affect you or your brothers or sisters?

AS: No.

AI: And then, I guess it was not too long after that that there, you had a major earthquake?

AS: Right

AI: And tell me about that.

AS: That was the biggest one we had. And we... and this is what I learned later, that the Peruvians thought that that was God's thing. And so after that, the Peruvians got afraid of it and they couldn't, they didn't do anything after that.

AI: Oh, so some Peruvians though it was an act of God.

AS: God, right.

AI: That God was angry that they had been violent against the Japanese?

AS: Uh-huh.

AI: Well, so where were you when the earthquake hit? What were you doing?

AS: I guess I was at home.

AI: And did you have any damage at your home?

AS: A little bit, yeah. But it wasn't too bad.

AI: So...

AS: A few cracks here and there.

AI: So there were these two large events going on in 1940, but, for you and your home and your family, it didn't affect you too much.

AS: No.

AI: So then, probably, I wanted to ask you, as a child, were you aware at all about the war going on in Europe or the war in Asia and the fact that Japan was at war with these other countries?

AS: Uh-huh. Because, like when, when Pearl Harbor got attacked, we were out fishing and we were gonna stay overnight. And one of the, well, my father used to take a few of his friends with him. So one of the friends, employee came after us saying that Japan, well, I mean, Japan got in a war with United States, so we better go home. And that's when we packed up and went home. And that's the first time we, we heard that Japan got in a war with the U.S.

AI: So, did that, did you have any understanding, then, what that meant, or did the adults make any comments about that being a problem for you as Japanese Peruvians?

AS: I can't remember any. We didn't, because I was only a kid, it didn't affect me too much.

AI: Right.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.