Japanese American internment camp museum breaks ground in Utah

[evangilder]

The story of the internment of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans during World War II hasn't always gotten widespread attention in the United States. But with construction beginning on the new Topaz Museum and Education Center in Utah, another step is being taken to keep the memory alive.

Read the full story below:
Japanese American internment camp museum breaks ground in Utah - latimes.com

Interesting timing. For years, we have driven past Manzanar, another Japanese American internment camp. Tomorrow, we will be visiting there. We stopped once before there was a museum or anything there. I have been getting a calling to visit again for a number of years. I will post some photos later in the week.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Looking forward to it. Certainly something I would like to see as well.

 

[razor1uk]

Sorry, weren't some of the most 'combatable' units (army and army air force) drawn from these 'internment'/concentraion camps - to prove to the 40's biggots how dutiful and American they were - can wait for photos (but will be intrigued), tis a longtime coming for them to be recognised officially.

 

[evangilder]

Yes, the "Go for broke" 442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Team cam from the camps. They have a website:
Go For Broke National Education Center - Preserving the Legacy of the Japanese American Veterans of World War II

Not much is left in Manzanar anymore. There are foundations all over the place, a memorial stone, replica guard tower and the gym left. The gym houses the museum. 150 Japanese Americans died while in the camp. Some were cremated and all but 6 of the remains have been removed and buried elsewhere.

 

[GrauGeist]

The story of Thule Lake is also interesting...there were actually two camps in one: The internment section and the prison section.

 

[evangilder]

Manzanar was the first of the camps to be built. There is more there than I thought as the site was very large. About 10,000 people were interned here, most of them were American citizens.

There are a lot of photos in here, but I wanted to try and give an idea about this place. The interiors of the barracks were unfinished wood in 1942. By 1945, they had the sheetrock and flooring. The building were just wood and tarpaper, which must have been miserably cold in the winter.

The monument in the cemetery area is really moving. There were origami cranes in masses, tied with string. Can one of the Japanese members tell me what the significance is with the origami cranes? They were hundreds of them. Notice also the model of the camp to show how big it was.

If you are ever in the Sierras, I would recommend visiting. It's moving.

 

[Thorlifter]

Incredible pictures Eric. Thanks for posting them with the details.

 

[evangilder]

I plan on doing an online article about it when I get back next week. There are so many details and facts that are interesting about it. Some of the photos in the interpretation center are pretty disturbing.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Thanks for posting these. Certainly something we should not forget.

 

[Lucky13]

Thanks Eric!

 

[michaelmaltby]

I'm glad you started this thread, evangilder ..... we did something similar on a smaller scale in Canada. Not our greatest moment but times were different then. Nothing to be proud of but nothing to be buried in the dark either. During 1914-18, the Canadian government interned Ukrainian Canadians IIRC because [part] of the Ukraine was territory of the German-Austrian alliance ... IIRC.

On the other hand ... Canada and the US didn't work these people to death on starvation rations as Canadian POW's were worked in Japanese mines after the fall of Hong Kong (December, 1941). And these camps were never the breeding ground for outbreaks of contagious disease the way the Boer War camps in South Africa were, IIRC.

I think it is folly to second-guess others in wartime ..... IMO. But - we certainly must keep learning about ourselves .... as human kind.

MM

 

[A4K]

With Jan, thanks for posting Eric!

Had read of these internment camps in 'Snow falling on Cedars' by David Guterson. Wonder how large a role that book (and subsequent film) played in opening people's eyes?

 

[Shinpachi]

The monument in the cemetery area is really moving. There were origami cranes in masses, tied with string. Can one of the Japanese members tell me what the significance is with the origami cranes? They were hundreds of them. Notice also the model of the camp to show how big it was.

They are called Senba-Zuru(Thousand Cranes) folded by, mainly, women praying for the souls of victims.
They look healing old wounds to my eyes.
Thanks for sharing, Eric.

 

[Vincenzo]

I'm glad you started this thread, evangilder ..... we did something similar on a smaller scale in Canada. Not our greatest moment but times were different then. Nothing to be proud of but nothing to be buried in the dark either. During 1914-18, the Canadian government interned Ukrainian Canadians IIRC because the Ukraine was part of the German-Austrian alliance ...
MM

Ucraina was part of russian empire... so were allies. maybe we need more data for understand this history

 

[evangilder]

They are called Senba-Zuru(Thousand Cranes) folded by, mainly, women praying for the souls of victims.
They look healing old wounds to my eyes.
Thanks for sharing, Eric.

Thanks Shinpachi-san. I was reading about Senbazuru earlier this morning. There are a few stories about the thousand cranes. After reading more about that, I got the impression it was about healing and peace. There were also rocks and coins left at the memorial. I know in Judaism, placing a rock on the memorial stone signifies many things as well, but the main one signifying that the person has been visited and is remembered. I don't know the origin or significance leaving coins, so if anyone cares to chime in, feel free. It appears that there is a bit of healing from multiple cultures going on there. I saw some Japanese, Americans and even some European visitors there yesterday.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Amazing, thanks for posting the information gents.

 

[evangilder]

So I have done a little reading about leaving coins at a gravesite. Again, there are several interpretations about it and why it is done, but it does not appear to have any religious roots. The one I think probably sums it up best is this explanation:

Some people hold to the tradition of leaving something of yourself when visiting a grave. If nothing else, a coin from your pocket serves as a marker of your passage and esteem for the departed. It also signifies to any that pass by that the grave was visited, and that the deceased is well loved and esteemed and has not been abandoned or forgotten. Coins are also an older form of leaving flowers, a practice prompted by the heavy Romanticism of the Victorian era.

Read more: Why are pennies put on a grave

 

[Shinpachi]

If it is in Buddhism, a victim's family places a stone to mourn him or her murmuring like "One for mother, one for father..."
You will see same Monetary Offering - Saisen by coins in a Buddhist temple.

 

[evangilder]

Great info, Shinpachi-san. For all the differences that propaganda tried to point out between us, we are all more alike than they realized.

 

[razor1uk]

Incedently, there is many academically 'un-accepted' connections between Ancient Japan/Bhuddism and Ancient Jewish practises too - the leather arm straps and (fore..)head-box things, animal or animal token/totem sacrifce, intonements while sprinkling/spreading/offering salt, the carrying of (usualy) box shaped shrines/arcs etc..