Japanese American internment camp museum breaks ground in Utah

[evangilder]

There are a great number of shamanistic practices that are the same in many parts of the world, many where the cultures have never met. It makes for an interesting set of theories as to why that is. Judaism and Buddhism are both pretty old and there may be some cross pollination of rituals and customs. By providence or by accident is always a debate, but it is interesting to look at religions comparatively and see the similarities.

 

[Matt308]

While I envisioned a large camp, I never understood the magnitude of what they deemed a "camp". That would be considered a rather sizeable town. Makes you understand all of the societal implications for running such a "camp" under controlled conditions. Things like an internal gov't and all its bureaucratic layers, utilities, black market, gangs, sports, entertainment, trading, etc. Makes me wonder if somewhere locked in a warehouse is crates of studies and findings documented on this "experiment" that likely will not see the light of day until after we are long gone. Great thread. I didn't think any physical remains still existed of this historical action.

I heard an elderly japanese-american recall her time in the camp from when she was a kid. What struck me most was the pics above showing how pristine the carpentry was on the housing units. Her remembrances were of how they siding was built so poorly and with such low grade wood that huge gaps allowed for cold winter winds to whistle through the units at night and how she was constantly shivering. She noted that clothing was used to stuff the gaps as best they could to seal these gaps up. Not sure if this is the same camp as she was interned, but a sobering story nonetheless.

Shinpachi-san, can you translate the writing on the white monument for us please?

 

[Shinpachi]

The Japanese Americans introduced in Japan(Photo Weekly July 15 1942 issue).
Publisher says these photos were obtained from LIFE magazine in Berlin.

 

[Shinpachi]

Shinpachi-san, can you translate the writing on the white monument for us please?

慰霊塔
Memorial tower

千九百四十三年八月 満砂那日本人建之
Japanese at Manzanar built this. August 1943.

 

[Matt308]

Thankyou, sir. And the Life magazine pics make staying in the camp look like a vacation.

 

[evangilder]

Keep in mind that the buildings today and along the lines of what was once in place, with the idea of them being around a while as opposed the ones that were hastily assembled in 1942 for the sudden surge of people. I would venture to guess that they are better made now than they were when they were originally built.

 

[mikewint]

I in NO way justify or condone but considering the times, the war, the seak attack on Pearl, etc. one can understand how all Japanese were painted with the same broad brush. H*lls Bells we still see it today. How many Muslims we attacked, mosques burned, etc. after 9/11.
Glad this is being built

 

[Matt308]

Mosques burned? Please nobody respond to this post.

 

[michaelmaltby]

More on Canada's camps in 1914-18:

First World War internment camps a 'difficult scar' for Canadian Ukrainians | CTVNews

 

[Vincenzo]

More on Canada's camps in 1914-18:

First World War internment camps a 'difficult scar' for Canadian Ukrainians | CTVNews

unlucky the article does not make clear... probably this ukrainians were austrohungarian citizen, so at time were called ruthenians

 

[GrauGeist]

The practice of leaving coins for the dead goes quite a ways back...the Greeks and Romans used to leave coins for thier departed so the person's soul had passage for the ferryman across the river Styx.

My Grandfather was a guard at Tule Lake Internment camp. He, my Grandmother, Aunt and Mother lived there from it's opening until after the close of the war. So I grew up hearing stories about life there.

 

[evangilder]

Wow, Dave. I have met a few people whose family were inside the camp over the years. You are the first one I met who had a relative that was a guard.

 

[GrauGeist]

Yes, my Grandfather was a WWI veteran (U.S. Army) and was called up to Camp White for preperation for guard duty at Tule Lake, I believe in 1942.

I can check with Mom for more details.

 

[evangilder]

Very interesting. Your posting reminded me that I wanted to do an online article on my website about Manzanar. Well, I did it today. I will probably do some tweaking next week, but I wanted to get it published. I also should acknowledge Shinpachi for the translation.

Van Gilder Aviation Photography, Manzanar

I'd be interested in hearing more about your grandfather's time as a guard at Tule.

 

[Shinpachi]

You can be a good editor too, Eric.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[michaelmaltby]

Great post.

MM

 

[Matt308]

I liked your online article. I noted that you went out of the way to highlight the separate bath and toilet facilities and how the toilets did not have stalls. This was more common than most people think for that era. I know first hand, as I worked at Todd Shipyards Seattle facility on destroyers and fast fast frigates in the 1990s. Todd Shipyards was a primary WWII shipyard for the Pacific Northwest during WWII. I distinctly recall the shock when upon the first time I visited the men's room, my urge suddenly disappeard when I saw what must have been 30 or 40 toilets all within reach of each other out in the open of a huge room in the main mess hall building.

So our current modern modesty aside, at that time what was good for the goose was apparently considered good for the gander.

 

[Marcel]

Mosques burned? Please nobody respond to this post.

There's more than just the USA, Matt and yes, they burned 2 Mosques here in the Netherlands after 9/11 . So at least we Dutchmen did not learn anything from this. But I understand what you're trying to say, no politics, so I'll stop here.

On topic: great pictures and story Eric, thanks.