World War II Anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States

an american propaganda poster - death-trap jap.



an american propaganda poster world war ii produced under works progress administration urging civilians collect , recycle scrap metal in order contribute war effort.

the profound cause of anti-japanese sentiment outside of asia had beginning in attack on pearl harbor. japanese attack propelled united states world war ii. americans unified attack fight against empire of japan , allies, german reich , kingdom of italy.

the surprise attack @ pearl harbor prior declaration of war presented american populace act of treachery , cowardice. following attack many non-governmental jap hunting licenses circulated around country. life magazine published article on how distinguish japanese person chinese person shape of nose , stature of body. japanese conduct during war did little quell anti-japanese sentiment. fanning flames of outrage treatment of american , other prisoners of war. military-related outrages included murder of pows, use of pows slave labor japanese industries, bataan death march, kamikaze attacks on allied ships, , atrocities committed on wake island , elsewhere.

u.s. historian james j. weingartner attributes low number of japanese in u.s. pow compounds 2 key factors: japanese reluctance surrender , widespread american conviction japanese animals or subhuman , unworthy of normal treatment accorded pows. latter reasoning supported niall ferguson, says allied troops saw japanese in same way germans regarded russians [sic] — untermenschen. weingartner believes explains fact mere 604 japanese captives alive in allied pow camps october 1944. ulrich straus, u.s. japanologist, believes front line troops intensely hated japanese military personnel , not persuaded take or protect prisoners. believed allied personnel surrendered got no mercy japanese. allied soldiers believed japanese soldiers inclined feign surrender, in order make surprise attacks. therefore, according straus, [s]enior officers opposed taking of prisoners[,] on grounds needlessly exposed american troops risks...

an estimated 112,000 120,000 japanese migrants , japanese americans west coast interned regardless of attitude or japan. held duration of war in inner us. large japanese population of hawaii not massively relocated in spite of proximity vital military areas.

a december 1944 opinion poll found 13% of u.s. public in favor of extermination of japanese.

jap hunts

a japanese american unfurled banner day after pearl harbor attack. man later detained nonetheless. dorothea lange photograph taken in march 1942, prior japanese american internment.

imperial japan s attack on pearl harbor on december 7, 1941, plunged united states war , planted notion of japanese treachery in minds of americans. hysteria enveloped west coast during months of war, combined long standing anti-asian prejudices, set stage come.

executive order 9066 authorized military exclude person area of country national security considered threatened. gave military broad authority on civilian population without imposition of martial law. although order did not mention specific group or recommend detention, language implied citizen might removed. in practice, order applied exclusively japanese americans , japanese nationals, few italian , german americans suffering similar fates. ultimately, approximately 110,000 japanese nationals , japanese americans interned in housing facilities called war relocation camps .

after pearl harbor attacks, anti-japanese paraphernalia , propaganda surfaced in united states. example of so-called jap hunting license , faux-official document, button or medallion purported authorize open season on hunting japanese, despite fact on quarter of million americans @ time of japanese origin. reminded holders there no limit on number of japs hunt or trap . these licenses characterized japanese people sub-human. many of jap hunting licenses , example, depicted japanese in animalistic fashion.

edmund russell writes that, whereas in europe americans perceived struggling against great individual monsters , such adolf hitler, benito mussolini, , joseph goebbels, americans saw fighting against nameless mass of vermin , in regards japan. russell attributes outrage of americans in regards bombing of pearl harbor, bataan death march, american politicians decrying killing of american pows in hands of imperial japanese forces, , perceived inhuman tenacity demonstrated in refusal of imperial forces surrender. kamikaze suicide bombings, according john morton blum, instrumental in confirming stereotype of insane martial spirit of imperial japan, , bigoted picture engender of japanese people whole.

to understand word jap comes comparison nazis left space recognition of german , scant comparable place japanese . magazines time hammered home further referring jap rather japs , thereby denying enemy merest semblance of pluralism.

commonwealth troops employed rhetoric of hunting , in regards doing battle imperial japanese forces. according t. r. moreman, demonization of japanese served improve morale, foster belief war in far east worthwhile , build moral component of fighting power . training instruction issued headquarters of 5th indian division suggested, jap fanatic , therefore menace until dead!... our fanatical aim kill japs. hunt him , kill him other wild beast!

decision drop atomic bombs

weingartner argues there common cause between mutilation of japanese war dead , decision bomb hiroshima , nagasaki. according weingartner both partially result of dehumanization of enemy, saying, [t]he widespread image of japanese sub-human constituted emotional context provided justification decisions resulted in death of hundreds of thousands. on second day after nagasaki bomb, truman stated: language seem understand 1 have been using bombard them. when have deal beast have treat him beast. regrettable nevertheless true .