Jap hunts Anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States

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!