It is shocking because on the one hand you can think about the logic behind a young nation with significant immigrant populations not allowing immigrants from the nation that just invaded you to hold positions of power, but then you get to internment, then you realize they don’t inter German Americans … yep, it’s racism thru and thru

[–] oyfrog@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I hate to be the "well ackshully" guy, but the US and Canada interred and relocated Japanese, German, and Italian Americans/Canadians during WWII. Japanese Americans get a lot of attention in this regard, but it wasn't just them (and not just the US).

That's not to say that there wasn't racism, plenty of that too.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 6 days ago

And the internment was not about any perceived threats. Many Japanese descended businessmen had successful businesses around Vancouver and the local white community just stole everything.

[–] redhorsejacket@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

For what it's worth, based on the research of Tetsuden Kashima, the total numbers of ethnic internments during WW2 breakdown to: Japanese: 17,477 German: 11,507 Italian: 2,730 Other: 185 Total: 31,899 (up from the Justice Department's official count of 31,275)

source

Additionally, while mass internment of citizens with German heritage was considered, at least in coastal and high security areas, it was determined not to be practical. While that could very well have been true, Reagan (of all people) codified the actual reason into law when he signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which explicitly lists the rationale for Japanese American internment as "race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership".

[–] prettybunnys@piefed.social 1 points 6 days ago

no no no I appreciate you being that guy here, thanks for the correction