Concentration Camps, North America: Japanese in the United States and Canada During World War II

Concentration Camps, North America examines the internment of Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians during World War II. The book provides documentation and analysis of government policies, living conditions in the camps, and the broader societal context that enabled mass incarceration. Roger Daniels draws from extensive research, including government records, personal accounts, and photographs to reconstruct this period of North American history. He traces the sequence of political decisions and military actions that led to the forced relocation of over 110,000 Japanese Americans and 22,000 Japanese Canadians. The author compares and contrasts the internment experiences in the United States and Canada, highlighting similarities and differences in policy implementation and public response. This dual-nation perspective reveals patterns in how democratic societies can suspend civil rights during wartime. Through clear historical analysis, the book raises questions about civil liberties, racism, and national security that remain relevant to contemporary discussions of human rights and governmental power. The parallels between past and present make this work an important resource for understanding institutional discrimination.

Readers appreciate Daniels' detailed research and comprehensive examination of both US and Canadian internment programs, with many noting the value of comparing the two countries' approaches. Several reviewers highlight the book's use of primary sources and government documents. Likes: - Clear chronological organization - Inclusion of economic impacts and property seizures - Coverage of post-war reparations movements - Balance of personal accounts with policy analysis Dislikes: - Dense academic writing style - Limited coverage of individual camp experiences - Some readers found the statistical data overwhelming - Dated terminology (book published in 1981) Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (52 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (8 ratings) One reviewer on Goodreads noted: "Strong on policy but weak on human elements." Another wrote: "This work remains relevant for understanding how democratic nations can justify mass incarceration of citizens." The book is frequently cited in university syllabi and scholarly works on Japanese internment.

Years of Infamy by Michi Weglyn A Japanese American internment survivor documents the government policies and constitutional violations that led to mass incarceration during World War II.

The Politics of Prejudice by Roger Daniels This examination traces the history of anti-Japanese sentiment on the West Coast from the 1890s through World War II internment.

By Order of the President by Greg Robinson The book analyzes Franklin D. Roosevelt's decision-making process and responsibility in the Japanese American internment program.

American Sutra by Duncan Ryūken Williams This account reveals how Japanese American Buddhists maintained their faith and identity while imprisoned in World War II concentration camps.

Uprooted by Albert Marrin The text connects the Japanese American incarceration experience to broader patterns of racism and civil rights violations in American history.

🔷 Author Roger Daniels served in the U.S. Army during World War II and later became one of the nation's leading scholars on Japanese American internment, publishing over 25 books on the subject. 🔷 The book was one of the first comprehensive studies (published 1981) to examine both U.S. and Canadian internment policies side by side, highlighting the similarities and differences between the two nations' approaches. 🔷 While U.S. camps held about 120,000 Japanese Americans, Canadian camps imprisoned nearly 22,000 Japanese Canadians—representing a higher percentage of their total Japanese population than in the U.S. 🔷 Properties seized from Japanese Americans during internment were estimated to be worth $400 million in 1940s dollars (approximately $7 billion today), as detailed in the book's economic analysis. 🔷 The book played a significant role in the redress movement of the 1980s, helping lead to formal apologies and reparations from both the U.S. and Canadian governments to former internees.