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(From the Dec/Jan Zephyr) ‘CAMP’: Memories of the Japanese Internment, 1941-1945 (Part 2)…by Alan Mikuni

Excerpt:

Mom didn’t speak much to me about her day-to-day existence during the 11 months she and her family spent in Jerome, so from her silence I can only imagine how difficult life was for a young woman in those circumstances. The construction of the barracks was rudimentary: wooden-framed with tar-paper wall covering, barely enough structure to provide shelter from the elements. It was too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer, and too uneventful (boring) most times. Personal privacy was unknown, and no indoor plumbing or toilet facilities contributed to the discomfort and indignity. The WRA rules stipulated that multiple families shared a single barracks unit, leaving little privacy for typical family living – the events, the conflicts, the celebrations, or the grief.

In addition to all the personal inconveniences, I can also only imagine the anger and frustration each inmate must have felt as a result of their unlawful, forcible imprisonment, since formal charges were not filed, and due process was completely absent. The fear associated with an unknown future, the psychological and physical disorientation, and the shock, disbelief, and humiliation of being thrown into prison for no reason, all contributed to a miserable existence for the inmates, but gaman.

 

To read more of Alan’s article, click the image below:

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http://www.canyoncountryzephyr.com/2015/12/01/camp-memories-of-the-japanese-internment-1941-1945-part-2-by-alan-mikuni/

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