Japanese Internment Film

[bthodgson]

This is a short film which was produced by the United States Government to try to defend/explain the relocation of Japanese Americans from the West Coast and place them in internment camps. This was produced and came out during the war, circa 1943. It also documents how the whole process went and things that were done. Much of the wrong they were doing is downplayed, of course...

Take a look at Santa Anita Racetrack when you hit 5:06!

[bthodgson]

Here is an article run by the Los Angeles Times talking about Santa Anita Racetrack being used as a "reception center." This is dated May 21, 1942.

The link - proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=30&did=414494291&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1267556934&clientId=15389

Article -

Santa Anita Track to Be Alien Station
Us as Reception Center for Japanese Set for Early Date

The United States, moving swiftly to insure immunity to the Pacific Coast strategic area from a threat of a fifth column uprising in the event of Japanese invasion attempts, yesterday accelerated its alien evactuation program to the last notch.
The Wartime Civil Control Authority announced the early - perhaps next week - conversion of the luxurious Santa Anita race track and clubhouse into another reception center for the classification and transfer inland of alien and American-born Japanese.
Thousand To Leave
At the same time arrangements were completed to transfer 1000 Japanese Monday morning in two long trains from Los Angeles to the Owens Valley reception center at Manzanar, 235 miles northeaast of here.
An additional Contingent of Japanese evacuees will be transported to Manzanar from the Pasadena Rose Bowl Monday morning in a huge military motorcade.
Meanwhile, 400 workmen were busy covering 6200-acre reservation at Manzanar, 10 miles north of Lone Pine, with the first of 430 buildings which will house with an eventual total of 10,000 alien and citizen evacuees.
Use of Centers
Like the Santa Anita facilities, those at Manzanar are intended to accomodate evacuees during the period it requires to classify them as to capabilities and transfer them to inland concentration areas where they will be guarded for the duration of the war.
The rail-born exodus from Los Angeles will begin at the old Central Station at Fifth st. and Central Ave. at 7 a.m. Monday. Approximately 1000 Japanese of either alien or American citizenship who voluntarily elect to cooperate in the evacuation program before they are forcibly removed will board two long Southern Pacific trains for the trip to Lone Pine Junction. From that point they will be taken to Manzanar reception center by bus.
Start of Movement
The alien exodus will constitute the beginning of the "largest orderly mass movement of civilians in history," The Western Defense Command's Wartime Civilian Control Authority (W.C.C.A.) announced in San Fransisco.
The agency listed the hegira as involving 179,985 enemy aliens and Japanese-Americans resident in the four States of California, Arizona, Oregon and Washington.
Of these, 112,985 are Japanese and their progeny. Next come Germans. Italians constitute the smallest alien group.
Alien Tallies
Most of those who will be evacuated under the proclamations of Lieut. Gen. J. L. DeWitt live in California. Of the 112,985 Japanese and their descendants in the four-State area, 93,919, or 83 percent, reside in California.
Washington has 14, 568, Oregon 2454 and Arizona 632....

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Santa Anita Track to Be Alien Station
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File); Mar 21, 1942;
ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1986)
pg. 1


The rest of the article talks about more of the relocation and gives more numbers and stats.