Densho Digital Archive - Kaz Yamamoto Interview (denshovh-ykaz-01-0019)

<Begin Segment 19>

RP: Do you remember any shortages of sugar?

KY: Shortage?

RP: A shortage of sugar that... there were charges that sugar was being black-marketed.

KY: Uh-huh.

RP: And that some of, some of those issues led to the riot.

KY: No, I don't think that led to the riot.

RP: What was your opinion on that?

KY: It didn't, it didn't have anything to do with the riot I don't think. No.

RP: What was your opinion of what...

KY: The riot?

RP: Yeah.

KY: I'm not sure. Part of the stories that I heard was that one of the aspects of that whole thing was before we hit camp there was some stories of, they call 'em "dogs" I guess, I'm not sure, but that they ratted on the other Japanese people. And so they were regarded as "dogs," you know what I mean? And once we got into camp they were looked upon as traitors. And so they, I think they tried to get, get these guys and pay back. I think that had something to do with it. But, I don't think that's the whole story. I remember in camp, once we were in camp, the soldiers, they had their guns with them and then the crowd got together and they start threatening the police. And the, and the soldiers, they were scared stiff too because here all mass of people grouping together and charging the police. And so they had these guns that had bayonets on the end of it. And they stuck, they threatened the crowd as if they were gonna shoot 'em if they didn't back off. And, but the crowd got more aggressive. And they started backing the soldiers. As the soldiers backed off they would keep on going towards the soldiers. And so the soldiers were scared stiff themselves. And finally one of the soldiers started shootin' and killed some of the people there. And I think that started the riot.

RP: Where were you when that was happening?

KY: I was home in my barrack when I heard about it. And my mother says, "You'd better not go out there." You know, get into trouble. So I didn't go anywhere. I stayed home like a smart cookie. Yeah, I remember that incident and one of the guys that got shot at come running home and he told us about what's happening, what's happening. So, we were kind of scared about the whole incident. But it did happen. At least the Manzanar riot was. There was other riots in the other camps too, you know. I guess everyone has a different story to give as to how, how it happened. But the one I heard mostly was that these guys that tattletaled, that this, they ratted on the other Japanese people. And so to get revenge they were going after these guys. I don't know how they got to know who tattled on who. But that's another story that I heard. I don't know how much of it's true.