I come from an agricultural area in Oregon where many of the orchards are owned by the Japanese. During that horrid part of our history of internment, their neighbors throughout the valley stepped up to the plate and farmed their orchards so that when they returned, they still had their homes and farms, fully intact and thriving.
Those stories, of the neighbors who kept those taken's farms or businesses safe, awaiting their return... those touch my heart in such a deep way. There were plenty who took advantage, of course. But the stories of humanity give me hope
My husband and I bought a home in GG CA in 1973 and we met our neighbors when they came over to visit! They were full Japanese descents at the time of WWII!! They were both US born citizens and they lived on their family farm on the land we were standing on! They told us the story of their detentions in the Japanese concentration camp in the middle of California! ! The military was deployed there for the purpose of protecting the country from the Japanese military after Pearl Harbor bombing! The fear that the enemy will attack the coast of California and walk right in and they would not be able identify if they were citizens or enemies! Paranoid fear gripped the entire country but California felt more vulnerable than most states because there were many Japanese people who lived there for decades before! They were both young when they were directed to leave their homes and moved out to the concentration camp! They had to stay there for years until the war was over and they were let go by the government! The unfortunate fact was that while they were incarcerated their land and homes were being confiscated and sold to some other people! The story continues as they do everything to get their land back in court. They did get part of their property back and started farming strawberries and other things!. I know that many Japanese people did not get their land back and had to build their lives over again! My neighbors were not happy with the situation but they accepted the decision because they were citizens who were afraid of invasion like everyone else! We were blessed to have known them because they helped us grow our vegetable garden and our roses! Nice people!
I come from an agricultural area in Oregon where many of the orchards are owned by the Japanese. During that horrid part of our history of internment, their neighbors throughout the valley stepped up to the plate and farmed their orchards so that when they returned, they still had their homes and farms, fully intact and thriving.
Those stories, of the neighbors who kept those taken's farms or businesses safe, awaiting their return... those touch my heart in such a deep way. There were plenty who took advantage, of course. But the stories of humanity give me hope
I lived in the city of garden grove in 1973.
My husband and I bought a home in GG CA in 1973 and we met our neighbors when they came over to visit! They were full Japanese descents at the time of WWII!! They were both US born citizens and they lived on their family farm on the land we were standing on! They told us the story of their detentions in the Japanese concentration camp in the middle of California! ! The military was deployed there for the purpose of protecting the country from the Japanese military after Pearl Harbor bombing! The fear that the enemy will attack the coast of California and walk right in and they would not be able identify if they were citizens or enemies! Paranoid fear gripped the entire country but California felt more vulnerable than most states because there were many Japanese people who lived there for decades before! They were both young when they were directed to leave their homes and moved out to the concentration camp! They had to stay there for years until the war was over and they were let go by the government! The unfortunate fact was that while they were incarcerated their land and homes were being confiscated and sold to some other people! The story continues as they do everything to get their land back in court. They did get part of their property back and started farming strawberries and other things!. I know that many Japanese people did not get their land back and had to build their lives over again! My neighbors were not happy with the situation but they accepted the decision because they were citizens who were afraid of invasion like everyone else! We were blessed to have known them because they helped us grow our vegetable garden and our roses! Nice people!