Dr. Seuss’ and others’ cartoon images and propaganda created during World War II that were depictions of Japanese individuals were xenophobic and represented the hysteria associated with war that warped the United States during that era
Tell me your thoughts on the cartoon imageries from Dr. Seuss (US favorite author) and others during WW2 about Japanese Americans.
Example
Dr. Seuss’ and others’ cartoon images and propaganda created during World War II that were depictions of Japanese individuals were xenophobic and represented the hysteria associated with war that warped the United States during that era. Dr. Seuss is widely celebrated for his magical and imaginative children’s books. His wartime cartoons, however, played a role in displaying and perpetuating negative stereotypes and creating a false sense fear and suspicion towards Japanese Americans. Much like how Nazis depicted Jews as comically greedy, seedy and evil in their propaganda, the United States used the exact same caricaturization to dehumanize Japanese individuals into a simple stereotype to depict them as simultaneously intelligently evil, comically stupid, and ready to commit evils and atrocities towards the Americans as they were traitors in waiting. As the Nazis did to the Jews to dehumanize and belittle them, the US was essentially a foil to the same hate but towards its own Japanese citizens.These images often showed Japanese Americans as caricatures with exaggerated features, pushing harmful stereotypes and paranoia about their loyalty to the United States. This played a significant role in justifying the internment of Japanese Americans, a dark chapter in American history where thousands of innocent citizens were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in internment camps eventually resulting in the theft of their property and homes. These actions also happen to mirror what our German enemies did to their own Jewish citizens during that time of war. Japanese Americans were sent into concentration camps (colloquially known as relocation camps at the time) whilst the Jews were sent to concentration camps. While Americans did not perform atrocities to the same extent Nazis had done to their own citizens, Japanese Americans were gunned down for disobeying orders and plenty had died due to the lack of adequate medical care and the horrific emotional and mental stress occurred from having everything you owned stripped from you.I believe it is incredibly essential to remember the cartoons and propaganda as a lesson in history. They serve to remind us of the results of unchecked racism and the importance of upholding civil liberties and human rights, especially during times of crisis. As a society we need to know the atrocities our own country committed against its own citizens to understand the experiences of Japanese Americans during this period and work towards preventing such horrific events from occurring again.
Forced Removal & Imprisonment
FORCED REMOVAL DURING WORLD WAR 2
Rise of Revenge Nationalism in Europe would prepare US for conflict in Europe & the Pacific
Japan was a rising colonizer expanding in China, Philippines and other Islands- Wanted Land for Farming
Japan Officials were upset over the banning of Japanese immigrants to the US and the ending of the Gentleman’s Agreement.
Great Depression lingered and impoverished population as money stopped circulating in the economy.
US created Repatriation Program in early 1930s were Mexican immigrants and US born Mexican Americans were deported or expelled for Mexican Americans–many were recruited to work in agricultural fields in early 1920s.
300,000 Repatriated to Mexico
War in Europe had started two years prior but it was not until the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory on December 7, 1941 attack in Honolulu that the US entered.
2000 Soldiers were killed by the Japanese attack.
US declares war but also creates Internment Camps where 80,000 Japanese and US born were rounded up and placed in Internment Camps in eastern California, Arizona and Washington.
Pearl Harbor in 1941 changed that on the mainland but not in Hawaii
Most Japanese Americans were evacuated from west coast including Terminal Island
Even Japanese from Peru were rounded up and placed in these camps even if they had never been to the US, were citizens of Peru and did not speak English.
Pictures below are of Manzanar Internment Camp north of Lone Pine on HWY 395.
People from Los Angeles would state that other Asians such as Filipinos or Chinese would were t-shirts that stated “Not Japanese”
German and Italians in the US and their US born offspring not arrested and placed in camps even though Germany and Italy at war with the US
Your instructor’s high school German teacher would tell the class how his father and many in Pennsylvania were Hitler supporters in 1983 and he was not afraid to tell the class
Fred Korematsu legally challenged Internment Camps, later found that US military lied & held back information about Japanese American loyalty KorematsuLinks to an external site.
Originally Japanese Americans were not permitted to serve because there was fear of loyalty to Japan and not the US but the 100th Infantry Batallion of Nisei, 2nd Generation Japanese Americans fought in Italy (Monte Casino)
3,147 soldiers who served in the battalion were awarded a total of 4,340 individual medals and honors, including 1,703 Purple Heart medals, bestowed upon those wounded or killed in US military service. 100th Infantry BatallionLinks to an external site.
There were 10 Internment Camps throughout Western US from Idaho, Gila, Arizona to Northern California and various detention centers
Closes Detention Center was Santa Anita Racetrack & Griffith Park, in Central Valley at Tulare Fairgrounds
Some American Churches brought forth Protests for Internment Camps of American Japanese American Churches Protesting Internment CampsLinks to an external site.
Much of the View Towards American Japanese was that they were associated with Japan Govt & Leadership
Germans and Italians in the US were not rounded up and incarcerated hence double racial standards
And Another example:The images of Dr. Seuss and other authors during World War II were intended to satirize Japanese people about the war. This satire also includes intention to attack Japanese Americans using cartoon images and words written on the images. Cartoon images of Japanese people look like they are drawing cunning or fierce people. And indeed, the depiction of the Japanese seems to be scolding the invaders, the cruel and treacherous people who are creating war and ready to expand to America. The art in the animation accurately portrays the characteristics of the Japanese people, but it has a completely negative connotation. Caricature art can depict the historical situation at that time into a message. It is an exciting creative process with the cuteness of the animation combined with the condemnation of a negative issue. Furthermore, the use of the word “Jap” instead of the word Japanese in the animation is very unique even though it is contemptuous of the Japanese people. But the words in the animation and images describe the artist’s messages to the viewer very well. They also used words to express the evil things of the Japanese people in their thoughts.
It also partly depicts the life of Japanese Americans in the concentration camps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. At that time, the cartoon image was drawn as a warning about the consequences that Japanese Americans had to endure. It has a negative connotation of racism towards all Japanese and Japanese Americans. However, the cartoon image at the present time serves as a historical testament to the difficulties and suffering of Japanese Americans. We can through these historical cartoon images to understand many ways of viewing history at that time. Although it shows racism, it is also opposing the war caused by fascist Japan. According to each person’s perspective, the animated images are extremely diverse. For example, one can accuse the Japanese of creating war and threatening the lives of Americans through World War II. Conversely, one can also criticize Americans’ racism towards Japanese Americans. Therefore, cartoon images can carry two contradictory ideas according to different people’s ways of thinking.
Requirements: 1/2 page
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