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Imagine being uprooted from a safe place called home, the bond with the people close being lost, and forced into an internment camp, while others around are drafted into a global conflict. During the 1940s, the Japanese Americans were perceived as threats following the attack on Pearl Harbor, which caused a War Relocation Authority to be taken into consideration. Although the Navy and Army were very confident in their abilities, rounding up all Japanese-Americans on their own would be quite difficult. While Japanese-Americans were facing discrimination, they were still trying to prove their patriotism to the United States by enlisting through the Selective Services. Together, these two agencies reflect the complexities and challenges of wartime governance and the balance between national security and civil liberties. In Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s memoir Farewell to Manzanar, she explains the effects of Selective Service and War Relocation Authority on Japanese-Americans then and now.

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1943 U.S. government-produced film "Japanese Relocation" addresses relocation camps

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Formation of the Selective Service/War Relocation Authority

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Formation of the Selective Service/War Relocation Authority

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By: Morgan Cooper

Due to fear of potential Japanese espionage, the agency of the War Relocation Authority (WRA) was constructed in the wake of President Franklin Roosevelt issuing the Executive Order 9102 on March 18, 1942. This agency was created to care for the Japanese-Americans who were removed from the West Coast; once war was over, they would return them home after. Director of WRA, Dillon S. Meyer states, “the War Relocation Authority, had several possible plans for relocation in mind, but the reaction of the assembled governor and other state officials were sharply unfavorable to most of these proposals.” This shows that WRA went through tough processes to find places to resettle Japanese-Americans. Years before WW2, the US congress founded the Selective Services on May 18, 1917. By maintaining a list of names, men ranging from 18-45 were called upon in case of a national emergency that required rapid expansion of armed forces; which ensured that future drafts would be equitable. After the attack on Pearl Harbor all American men were required to register for the nation's first peacetime draft; later Nisei were eligible for Selective Services. In the memoir “Farewell to Manzanar,” Wakatsuki explains, “Early in 1944 the government decided that Nisei should be eligible for Selective Service,”(Houston 106). Although they were still classified as undesirable ‘aliens’, 300 Niseis eventually volunteered to serve in the military. These policies were created to better the peace and security for the citizens of the United States.

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The effects of Selective Service/War Relocation Authority

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The effects of Selective Service/War Relocation Authority

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/10nmDWEuvIVeQicUDepcLJHGNc0fdJoHU/view?usp=sharing

By: Julius Bone

In addition to the events of WWII, two systems deeply affected the lives of Japanese Americans, Selective Service and the War Relocation Authority (WRA). The Selective Service required all men eligible to register for the draft; However, Japanese Americans were called “enemy aliens” making them ineligible for the draft as the war progressed, the American government needed their skills and made them eligible. The service caused Japanese Americans to have psychological and cultural effects. In Jeanne Watasuki Houston’s memoir Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne says, “It brought him face to face with his own vulnerability, his own powerlessness.” because it captures the betrayal Japanese Americans felt caused by the American government causing a psychological effect (Houston 65). That feeling did not appear only because of the relocation and disruption of families, but also because they were given two options. Either fight against the people who are similar to them or risk seeing deceased loved ones. However since the government needed help with the war, many Japanese Americans registered with the Selective Service program to showcase their patriotism and prove they were American citizens. But not every Japanese American had this right, some had to go through the physical harm and cultural effect of internment camps. The Tomihiro family has said effects firsthand. The article “The U.S. forced them into internment camps…” explains how difficult it was to remove from the camps and get back used to the livelihood that they once lived. The article reads, “depriving them of their freedom and livelihood. After the war, they were forced to start over” It demonstrates these camps were nothing to take lightly and caused an immense amount of distress to the victimized party (The U.S. forced them into internment camps…). Executive Order 9066 called for any designated military areas to exclude people considered “enemy aliens.” The article explains how the order adapted to the current life and culture Americans had. The Selective Service and WRA were harsh systems that should not be forgotten or told through the side of the “winners.”

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How has the Selective Service System changed?

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How has the Selective Service System changed?

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By: Jax Hendrickson

Since the Internment, the War Relocation authority has been ended however the selective service system has seen great change. During WW2, The Selective Service System employed the first large-scale peacetime draft as ordered by President Franklin D Roosevelt. An article published by the National WW2 Museum reads, “On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. This was the first peacetime draft in United States history.”(WWII Museum). The presented quote states the terms of the original peacetime draft in which drafted individuals were required to go to war. The men who were drafted did not have a choice, many were caught trying to evade the draft however, it was not up to them because of the dire situation that WWII brought. Since then the terms have changed significantly, taking a less desperate approach. According to the official Selective Service System website, “Almost all male US citizens and male immigrants, who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service. It's important to know that even though he is registered, a man will not automatically be inducted into the military”(SSS.gov). As the text states, the maximum age has been reduced by 20 years and the drafted individuals are not immediately inducted into the military. The Selective Service Systems change is due to the advancement of war through technology and intelligent tactics.

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In conclusion, Jeanne Watasuki Houstan's memoir, Farewell to Manzanar, displays the effects of the War Relocation Authority and the Selective Service by describing the discrimination herself and her family experienced. Since the formation of the Selective Service and the War Relocation Authority, the United States has seen significant change that resulted in a complete ratification of the War Relocation Authority and significant changes in the Selective Service. Houston's writings explain the betrayal by the United States from the point of view of the internees, giving the reader an understanding of the depth of the situation and the effects of the Selective Service and War Relocation Authority.