Freedom in the 1940s

 

The Definition of the American Freedom

In this part of the American story, black people were being pushed to redefine freedom and to see what that would look like. The definition of freedom was the freedom with the 14th amendment. It was the freedom to be independent, free and your own person. The 14th amendment happened because of a call for black Americans to be granted citizenship. There were many things pushing for all of the freedom that came with citizenship. This freedom would allow them to be able to purchase land, and many other freedoms that would establish their place and home in America.

This time was also during the Japanese internment camps. This was more of an American freedom that is more accurately defined. This was freedom from being stripped of your human rights and human identity. Japanese Americans were being prosecuted and held against their will because of racist and prejudiced ideals after the war. 

Amend Episode 3

This episode impacted my definition of freedom during this time because it showed the aspect of society that was about what freedom could be attached to . This definition came with the ideas of citizenship and what the fourteenth amendment would have the power to influence the cultural dynamics in America. This fourteenth amendment was important and led to many freedoms being attained, but it also started the changing of what freedom and was looked like to different people.

Link to Episode:

Amend Ep. 3

Japanese Internment Camp Writing

The images reveal that while some Japanese-Americans were expecting to be forced to evacuate and taken to Internment camps, everybody had the idea to try to pledge or prove their allegiance to the country before that happened. There are a lot of images that show how they all saw it coming, the photographer knew to start documenting all of the children saying the pledge of allegiance at school and saluting the flag, the sign in the Japanese-American business stating that they are an American, along with the pictures of Japanese-Americans waiting for their buses to the internment camps, or for them to come get evacuated. One picture that stood out in particular was the photo of the tenant farmer having set his affairs in order and pack up all of his belongings while awaiting internment. The articles revealed that life in these camps tried to show an oasis for outsiders, but within they were actually struggling and living in tight and uncomfortable headquarters. My thought process is that the article "Abroad" was written trying to make the camps seem better and justify the conditions in which the Japanese-Americans were interned. The "West Coast Widens Marital Law Call" article had more visible prejudice against Japanese-Americans making it clear that life in the camps was the beginning and that they would not be welcomed back and should consider moving away. 

Chapter Question:

American minorities faced threats to their freedom at home and abroad during WWII because during the war tensions were high with everybody. Americans saw people of color, different ethnicities and cultures and would question their loyalties right off the bat. This is what led to the Japanese Internment Camps. America was at war with Japan, so the government speculated that there may be Japanese spies that are working against Japan. Instead of leading treason investigations, they decided to go straight to Japanese Internment Camps. Other minorities were also suffering at this time due to the questioning of loyalties to other countries.